


The apple doesn’t fall far from the tree

by GirlZombieSlayer



Category: Dead Rising
Genre: F/F, Fontana is OOC at times but I like making her act all soft and cute at times, Frankie is a mama lion when it comes to her students, Frankie is super gay for Fontana, Mentions of other pairings but too many to list, Slurs towards lesbians (well I consider them slurs at least), Zombies, gore (If I can actually write detailed stuffed...I get grossed out sometimes lol)
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-02-11
Updated: 2018-09-28
Packaged: 2019-03-16 15:00:08
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 41,836
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13638609
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GirlZombieSlayer/pseuds/GirlZombieSlayer
Summary: Being the daughter of Frank West means she's prepared for everything. Frankie just never expected a second outbreak to happen in Willamette when she agrees to take the photography teaching position at Willamette High School. Come Black Friday, she uses what she's been taught by her father and even her mother to help her students and the survivors of Willamette...while crushing hard on the Commander of Obscuris.(This is a revised version, mainly I didn't like how my old one was going)





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> The Dead Rising series belongs to Capcom as does any Street Fighter references I make or rather just any Capcom game references I make. However Frankie, Her mother Rayne, her step-mother/Rayne's Wife Piper, her students and various other survivors belong to me. I have a lot at the moment but I only know of a few; Darrius, Elise, Ashe, Lily and Kathryn.
> 
> This will cover some of the six weeks that Frank wasn't in Willamette, then it'll branch into the game's story. Also I know in the game it’s stated nobody is immune to the outbreak but I have it to where a doctor who worked with Dr. Barnaby ended up bringing Phenotrans his research shortly before Frankie was taken by them.
> 
> [ Frankie's Zombie Killing Playlist.](https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLboJHjYyaidoh0sGL39bak7MbQTeCBsNW) You guys can thank my girlfriend :) She brought it up and made me realize I should add it for you all to listen so here you go. Hope you enjoy!
> 
> Also I don't know what they have for things such as Netflix, Instagram, and Facebook so I'm just gonna use them. They obviously don't belong to me lol

_"The apple didn't fall far from the tree. She's her father's daughter, with a dark side that we could not have taught her. She's got her father's toughness in her heart. I can see it in her eyes, she'll accomplish all she wants. Even in the face of chaos, she'll fight harder then we fought. I guess the apple fell farther than I thought."_ \- Rayne West 

_12 years ago_

It had been nearly a year since Phenotrans kidnapped her, mainly out of spite because her father Frank West began speaking out against the military. She had been cut open, injected with various things, sent into a room, bitten by a zombie, and the next day or two it all repeated.

A pair of experienced hands cleaned the fresh bite on her left shoulder before placing a bandage over it and taping it to her skin. A wheelchair appeared in front of her and she saw a blonde woman in a red suit staring at her. She adverted her eyes quickly and kept them trained on a random space on the wall.

"We'll subject her to more zombie bites two days from today." spoke Marion Mallon making the woman look at her in surprise. "You insisted she needed a day off Dr. Keyes."

"You've had her cut into, injected with various serums, and bitten four days in a row." she practically growled out.

"It's to make her immune!" spat the blonde woman. 

Doctor Isabela Keyes grit her teeth together, she cared for Frankie due to her father. Frank West had cared for her back in Willamette and Frankie was so young. She broke Marion's strict diet once a week so the child could enjoy something once in a while, stayed with her until she fell asleep, and took care of every zombie bite.

"For what purpose?" asked Isabela. "You still haven't shared that bit of information with me."

Marion scoffed and wheeled her chair around them. "I don't believe that you are privileged to that information Dr. Keyes." she wheeled away as Isabela sighed.

Frankie looked at Isabela. "Why me?"

"Don't worry about it sweetie." she whispered standing up and dusting her black pants off. "Now I do believe today is the day I break your diet, isn't it?" Frankie looked at her with the hugest grin she had ever seen. "Right, I brought cake but we won't tell Marion." Frankie nodded as Isabela took her hand and lead her out.

Isabela picked her up once they exited the room, mainly because of the flow of Scientists, she didn't need to loose Frankie. She approached Frankie's room and swiped the card, the light turning from red to green and she opened the door. The moment she sat Frankie down, a loud alarm began blaring through the facility. "Isabela?" asked Frankie, sounding a bit scared.

"Don't worry about it." she answered leading Frankie to her table. She drew the blinds and turned the TV on. "Stay away from the window, sit at the table and eat your cake." The young girl caught her hand making her look back. "What did I tell you yesterday?"

"That daddy was coming for me."

"Your daddy has arrived. Sit down and eat your cake. I'm releasing the zombies."

Frankie nodded as Isabela kissed her forehead and left the room, the door slamming shut behind her being louder than the alarm.

_Present_

"Miss. West?" spoke a voice that snapped the now 20 year old Francesca West out of her day dream. She blinked several times in confusion before realizing she was sitting at a desk in a high school class room, at the head of the class.

"Ah. What?" she asked confused.

The young woman, Ashe, looked worried. "I've been trying to get your attention for almost five minutes."

Frankie's hand cupped her left shoulder as she looked around the room. "Lunch is done?"

"Not yet, I wanted to ask you a question." Frankie motioned for her to continue and Ashe smiled. "You suggested we do our photography homework on someone we looked up right or something that inspired us?" Frankie nodded. "So like the fact I did you would be fine right?"

"That sound so sexual." huffed the young woman making Ashe blush.

Ashe rubbed at the back of her head, she had platinum blonde hair with pretty moss green eyes. "I researched you."

"Don't research me." Frankie quickly spoke.

"And I found an article that mentioned you were missing for a year." The photography teacher face palmed. "Why did you go missing?

"I don't remember." she lied and she lied a bit too quickly for Ashe's liking.

The high school student looked down at the papers she had printed in the library before coming to see her. "Phenotrans." she spoke making her teacher grimace while rubbing her thumb against her left shoulder before letting her hand to fall onto the desk. "I remember Mark's presentation, you were asking Mr. Tyler a question while he was giving it and when he mentioned Phenotrans, you paled and I mean paled, just before leaving."

"So?"

"You're a very tan woman Miss. West. So I knew something was wrong when you notebook paper to shame." Frankie let out a small huff of laughter while looking down at her half eaten lunch. "It's fine, you don't gotta tell me."

Frankie opened her mouth to answer but the bell rang making Ashe smile and turn around to go take her seat. Grabbing her sandwich, she took one last huge bite out of it before closing the container and putting it into her backpack as seniors began filing in. She sucked some mayo off her thumb as she stood up and swallowed her food.

"As requested, I printed out and put together booklets with prices on certain photography cameras and editing software." she spoke grabbing the stack of booklets and putting five at the head of each row, that student passing back the other ones. "Now I haven't really told you guys, even though you keep asking me what my camera of choice is."

She pulled up a bag and sat it down on the desk. A student raised his hand and she looked at him before nodding. "You said your dad bought it right?"

"He did indeed." beamed Frankie. "It was a graduation present. My ex-girlfriend's father had broken my previous one." She heard kids muttering insults under their breath, she didn't care if they swore in class but they did it in case another teacher or a principal was passing by. She just smiled as she lifted the camera out, cradling it in her hands. "My father bought me a Nikon D-five-six hundred. Which by the way, I will be using...right now. Say cheese!" She brought her camera up and watched as her students posed in silly poses, made faces, or just smiled before hitting the button to capture the picture. Another student shot up his hand. "Go Darrius."

"What sort of accessories should we have? I know my dad asked me what I'd want for Christmas and I know cameras can have certain accessories like lenses."

Frankie clicked her tongue in understanding. "Well first you want a camera bag." she put her hand son her black bag. Her initials F.A.W on it, mainly cause her mother's wife insisted. "Now, if you've got a small camera and a single lens a bag may not seem essential, but it's a good way to protect them in transport and it keeps rain and dust at bay. And as you build up a collection of lenses and accessories you'll find that you need something to keep it all together and make it easier to carry. Photo backpacks are a great way to carry heavy kit over long distances or uneven terrain, but because you usually have to take them off your back to access your gear, they can slow you down a bit. Shoulder camera bags give speedy access, but as the weight is carried on one shoulder it can be uncomfortable with heavy loads over long distances." She watched as every student wrote down the information, she loved it...she loved this class the most. They absorbed her knowledge like a sponge did water.

Ashe rose her hand and Frankie pointed at her. "Which do you have?"

"Photo backpack, this is what..." she lifted it up. "I look silly walking here with two bags." she heard them all laugh. "Now tripods, mine are at home in New York, are a good idea. It provides a method of holding your camera at exactly the right angle and keeping it absolutely still so your images are pin-sharp and full with detail. Plus it helped me take photos in Los Perdidos." Her smile faltered making several students look worried. "Ended up breaking that tripod over a zombie's head..."

She was only a little bothered by the mention of Los Perdidos because of Marion Mallon's death. Why did she felt upset watching the head of Phenotrans die? That woman put her through hell, cut into her and subjected her to bites. She rolled her shoulders and cleared her throat as she shook her head.

Frankie pulled her lenses out and lined them up beside her camera on her desk. "Next is filters, neutral density filters are incredibly popular because they enable you to take long exposure shots in daylight to blur cloud or water movement in landscapes. They also come in handy when you want to shoot with a very wide aperture in bright light. Meanwhile, graduated neutral density filters enable you to balance the exposure of a bright sky with a darker foreground, and polarizing filters are useful to cut down on reflections and boost saturation and contrast. There are square filters but I only use..." she took a couple out of her bag. "Circle ones." She laid them down on her desk.

This went on for the manner of another fifteen minutes. Frankie going through all her items and giving whatever answers her students wanted. She had all her camera parts out and laying on the desk beside her camera. She had written down all the accessories she found necessary and others that could be bought but only if they wanted them. 

Frankie picked up her camera and went around the classroom, taking pictures of every single student. Planning on put them on the school website for the seniors page. She let them pose and make silly faces if they wanted all the while collecting their homework. The bell rang making her huff as she walked to her desk. Since it was the day before Thanksgiving, their classes were cut just about twenty-five minutes shorter.

She walked back to her desk and began putting her camera and accessories away. Ashe walked up to the desk and Frankie looked. "Why me?"

"Why not? You're a young successful photographer. I want to be one when I'm only twenty."

"Sounds like your flirting with me...You're dating Lily."

"I am." smiled Ashe. "Speaking of Lily, I should go."

Frankie released a small chuckle as she put the folders each student was required to put their photography homework in into her backpack and zipping it up. "Ashe." the young woman hummed. "Enjoy your Thanksgiving."

"You too Miss. West." she responded before leaving the classroom.

Grabbing her leather insulated jacket off the back of her chair, she slipped it on and put her camera bag on her back as she carried her other bag. Her phone ringing just as she was locking up her classroom. She pulled her smart phone out to see a picture of her mother Rayne West with her girlfriend Piper Jones, Piper kissing Rayne's cheek as the woman laughed.

Tapping the answer button, she put the phone to her ear. "Hey mom."

"Hey sweetie." spoke Rayne as Frankie walked down the hallway, smiling at students who waved at her. "This a bad time?"

"Nope. Class ended bought five minutes ago. Kids got out early today."

She heard her mother chuckle. "You say kids and you're only like two or three years older than them." Frankie ended up smiling at the statement. "You sure you don't want us to fly out to spend Thanksgiving with you?"

The young woman entered the office and punched out before taking whatever mail was in her mailbox. "I'm sure mom. The guy who runs the cafe I go to like every morning is having Thanksgiving for people who are alone so I'm going there. He invited me this morning when I brought it up. I was actually debating whether or not to make chili mac and cheese for tomorrow."

The mention of that possible dinner choice made her mother huff. She waved at the receptionist as she left the office and headed out of the school. She heard a camera go off and looked to see Darrius standing there with a huge smile on his face. "Francesca?"

"One of my students just took a picture of me." Rayne let out a small chuckle. "I better not look horrible."

The young African-American student looked at his camera and shook his head before tilting it to show her. She made an impressed face. "I'll tag you on social media. See you on Monday, Miss. West."

She waved as he ran off, catching up with his friends. "Aw, Miss. West." cooed her mother in a small teasing tone.

"I wanted Frankie but the principal was persistent. He wanted them to respect me. Not to get all friendly with me."

"And how did that go."

"Please I'm friends with like every single one of kids in my last class on social media also they come over every Friday Night for movie nights in the Home Theater that's in my house that the School District gave me as part of the whole, coming to Willamette and teach deal." Frankie heard the sound of papers moving as she left the parking lot she was standing in when Darrius took the picture. "You working?"

"Mm-hm."

"Why call then? You could've waited till you were done."

She heard her mother hiss a bit, probably another paper cut. "Cause I'll most likely be working for hours."

"Different timezone mom, doesn't matter. I'm a couple hours behind."

"Yeah, I know." Rayne let out a small sigh. "I just miss you, obviously I cannot handle being too far away from you considering Piper and I moved to Los Perdidos when you started university there."

That was extremely true. They had moved to Los Perdidos so Frankie could come home instead of too a dorm after classes. "I know mom but don't worry. I told you I could either come home for Christmas or you two could come here."

Frankie walked over to her SUV and climbed in, she was hungry and needed to stop at the cafe before heading home...after all she didn't finish her lunch. "Yes, that's true. We'll talk about it tonight. I'm gonna try and finish this before Piper gets home. I don't like bother her with my cases, so I gotta get into Lawyer mode sweetie."

"Got it. I gotta head and get some food anyways. Love you mom."

"Love you too sweetie."

They both hung up and Frankie drove out of the parking lot and headed to West Ridge. She arrived at the cafe with in fifteen minutes, thankfully not a lot of traffic this time of day. After parking, she walked inside and went straight to her corner table by the windows, putting her bags down on the side she'd be sitting on. At times she graded homework there cause the elderly couple who ran the place were complete sweethearts. She approached the counter and smiled at the young woman behind the counter.

"Bethany." she nodded at Frankie. "Cup of cherry creme soda and your grandma's kick ass cheeseburger mac and cheese."

The young woman nodded once more. "Right away." Frankie pulled money out of her wallet and paid for her meal, telling Bethany to keep the rest as a tip.

Frankie return to her seat and pulled out the folders of each student while removing a red pen from her bag. She slid the first folder down and opened it, reading it over and checking the photos before giving the homework an A. The bell above the door rang and she looked up to see several men and women walking in wearing a white military like uniforms. Obscuris, they were often seen around town but mainly kept to themselves at their military base just outside of town. She stared at the strawberry blonde woman that stepped in last, she knew that she was their Commander and her last name was Fontana.

Bethany walked by Fontana with a smile. "I'll be right with you Commander." she spoke as the carried Frankie's food to her booth and sat it on the table, both of them smiling at each other.

Pulling her food closer too her, she took a bite as she read over another essay. She didn't really require a lot, at least two pages explaining why they looked up to that someone or why that something inspired them. She had been wondering why Ashe kept getting pictures of her over the week. She thumbed through the photos and smiled, a B+ being written at the top of the paper. Nobody in her class got less than a C, they knew what they were doing and were a smart bunch.

She got through six more essays before Fontana walked over and looked into one of the folders. Frankie looked up with a mouth full of mac and cheese to see her looking at Darius' essay. His was written about his dad, how his dad single handily raised just him and his brother Derek after their mom split on them years ago.

"Hm...this kid's got talent." spoke Fontana staring at the picture of an African-American male in his mid 40s.

"I know, that's why he got an A plus." she spoke closing the folder and Fontana rose an eyebrow at her.

"Hello too you too little sparrow."

"Not a sparrow."

Fontana pursed her lips and tilted her head. "Little fox?"

"That would be a cub, pup, or kit." The strawberry blonde just smirked as Frankie took the folders she had already gone through and stuck them back into her bag, not wanting Fontana to go through them. "I'm sort of busy."

Fontana rose her hands up in defensive. "Grading papers?"

"I need this done before tomorrow." she huffed out. "I don't want to worry about it on Thanksgiving." Fontana rose an eyebrow. "Tomorrow. Thanksgiving?"

"Ah...fuck!" she spat making several people, none of her men and women though, jump at the outburst. Frankie stared at her with wide eyes. "We've been so busy with work I completely forgot."

"Forgot what?" spoke Bethany's grandfather, Christopher, as he was bringing Frankie a sandwich.

"I didn't..."

"You don't eat much during work and you helped Bethany get that interview for the law school in New York, so you'll be getting a few things on the house." he smirked before winking at her. "Now what did you forget Commander?"

"She forgot Thanksgiving." spoke Frankie before putting a fork full of more mac and cheese into her mouth.

"Well tomorrow we are having a dinner about three in the afternoon if you, your men and women wish to come too." he smiled making Frankie nearly choke on her food making him look a little worried. She waved a hand and took a sip of her drink. "Francesca is coming."

She cringed at the sound of her name but she allowed Christoper and his wife Agnes call her Francesca mainly out of respect for them. "What? Why? Doesn't your family want you there for dinner?" The way she said family had so much venom dripping from it, did Fontana have a bad relationship with her own family?

"My mother and her wife are in New York. It's where they work, it's where I came from. They're coming to see me for Christmas." responded Frankie before sinking her teeth into her sandwich.

Fontana sat in front of her making Frankie glare at her before returning to her papers, grading them as quickly as she could before putting them away. She watched as Bethany sat down food in front of the strawberry blonde. She stared at the two before walking away, a look of confusion on Frankie's face. Why did Bethany look at the two of them like that? She looked at Fontana and watched those pearly white teeth sink into the sandwich and Frankie hated how turned on she felt. A little voice in the back of her dead was mentioning how much it wanted Fontana to bite her.

She finished her food and stood up with her bags, a gloved hand catching her own. "Leaving so soon?" asked the older woman.

"I've gotta go grocery shopping." she whispered as the Commander looked at her hand. "Then I've got to...go home and relax in front of the tv."

The older woman hummed and smiled at her making Frankie look away, a small pink tint in her cheeks. "I'll see you tomorrow." She released Frankie's hand and the younger woman left quickly.

Grocery shopping was hectic. Everyone was out getting their last minute Thanksgiving stuff, she ran into a couple students and their parents. She got her typical stuff which was mainly microwaveable food cause she didn't like bothering with the stove unless she was in the mood for some form of pasta or soup. She returned home after an hour away and put her food away.

She felt her phone vibrate in her pocket and pulled it out to see she had a message from her main group chat. She opened it and saw it was from her Zombie Survival Class.

_Darrius: Dad wanted to know if you had class tomorrow? Derek keeps bugging the shit out of him cause he really wants to come if that's cool lol_

Frankie hummed and tapped an answer back.

_Frankie: Yeah, I was gonna have it at 10am-12pm and yes it's cool, he can come._

_Darrius: Awesome. He'll be extremely happy._

_Elise: Could've given me more of a heads up? I told you I'd make cookies._

She rose an eyebrow and looked at the time. It was almost 6pm, cause yes she stayed at the cafe for like three or four hours and then grocery shopping took forever.

_Frankie: And you cannot make cookies in sixteen hours?_

_Elise: You're a smart ass, don't be a smart ass to your elders._

_Frankie: lol calling yourself an elder is calling my mom an elder...she's your age._

_Ashe: Dude...your mom's hot._

_Frankie: Dude...that's weird._

_Lily: Yeah dude...you're dating me._

_Ashe: Sorry babe._

_Frankie: Class. 10am-12pm. Elise, you have enough time to make cookies. Darrius, your brother can come. Now I have to finish putting my food away. I'll see you guys tomorrow morning._

_Elise: lol fine, see ya._

_Darrius: See you tomorrow Miss. West_

_Ashe: Later Miss. West_

_Lily: Bye Miss. West_

She hit the button on the side of her phone to put it to sleep and slid it back into her pocket. She filled two pots up with water, one would hold eggs to make hard boiled eggs and the other would hold the noodles for her ramen. She ran upstairs to her bedroom and changed into her plain black pajama pants with a cheesy I heart New York t-shirt. Upon returning to the living room, she sat her phone down on the coffee table and turned her TV on. Her mother and Piper had gotten her a smart TV which meant she could instantly go to Netflix on it.

Frankie plated her ramen, with some broth of course, and added the seasoning. Just as she was taking the pot of eggs off the stove, she heard a knock on her door. She sat the pot down and quickly threw in ice cubes to cool the water down so she could reach in with out burning her hand. She looked out the peep hole and rose an eyebrow as she saw one of her students, Leona.

She unlocked the door and went to speak but stopped as she saw tears in the young woman's eyes. "Leona?" The girl just managed a sob and Frankie grabbed her arms. "Leona? Sweetie, what happened?"

"My parents kicked me out."

"What?" she asked quickly, sounding like her mother when her mother was pissed.

The younger black haired girl sniffled and rubbed at her pale green eyes. "You know how I'm gay right?"

"Yeah?"

She nodded and looked at her teacher. "I told mom and dad today when they got home from work. I thought they'd take it better, I mean they were so excepting when it came to other people. Dad yelled at me, called me a mistake and I failure. Mom just cried. I think that hurt worse."

"Let me guess, one of those you're our only child so we expected grandchildren type of things?" questioned Frankie and Leona nodded. "Fuck."

Frankie saw herself as fortunate really. Her parents accepted her instantly the moment she came out as gay when she was all of maybe 11 or 12, she had no attraction to boys what so ever. Yes she was an only child but her parents knew when she wanted kids, she could adopt or get artificial insemination with her partner. Leona's parents seemed like such nice people too.

"I came to you cause I have no family in Willamette and I called some friends but their parents either said no cause of Thanksgiving or they didn't have room."

The 20 year old nodded and took Leona's bag before letting her inside. "Do you want food or...?"

"I ate. I stopped at a restaurant before coming over. I needed some comfort food."

Frankie hadn't meant to let out a laugh but she did. "Sorry, I mean the whole comfort food part was funny. Well if you're hungry, I just went grocery shopping so you can help yourself."

"I'm fine Miss. West." she whispered making Frankie frown a little but she said nothing.

She had attempted to give Leona her bed but she refused, saying the couch was fine. She did however take four of Frankie's eight hard boiled eggs. The two watched whatever they could find on Netflix before Frankie went to bed after giving Leona some blankets and pillows to sleep with, she tried to get her to take the guest bedroom but a show Leona liked was playing on Netflix and she didn't have Netflix in the bedroom.

Frankie twitched an hour into her sleep, sometimes she hated dreaming.

_Frankie's Dream/Flashback_

She ran as fast as she possibly could, avoiding the zombies reaching for her. Avoiding them was simple, just stay out of their reach and not run into like a cluster of twenty of them. She leaped over a wall and sat against it, panting as she tried to catch her breath. She had been running for so long. She had been seen by a Phenotrans Soldier and with in a fraction of a second, she was running away as fast as she could.

She swallowed thickly as she heard the snarls behind her growing louder. The wall behind her was too high, she had about maybe a moment or two to catch her breath before they figured out they could walk around it. The sound of gunfire made her stiffen, bodies hit the ground and she realized what was going on. "Did you see her?" shouted a voice making her growl in annoyance and pick herself up, quickly moving towards one of the parked cars and crouching behind it.

"No I think I lost her ma'am." spoke the man making her knit her brows together, did he say ma'am?

"For fucks sake! How hard is it to catch a girl?!"

"Well...she's fast."

She heard the woman on the other end scoff in annoyance. "She's fast."

"I'm sorry Ms. Mallon."

She rest her forehead against the door of the car. Fucking Marian Mallon. She felt hands grab her shoulders making her freak out and quickly punch the person responsible for touching her with a shout. The zombie hit the ground and grabbed her leg, biting through her jeans before she could react. A scream leaving her mouth as she felt the teeth tare through her skin.

She slammed the end of her bat into it's head until it released her. She pulled her knife out as she heard the man saying something over the radio. She forced the knife into the zombie's mouth and turned it, the teeth slipping out of her her skin as she force it's jaw to move. She freed her leg and forced herself into a run, she ran around the wall and grunted as the butt of a rifle slammed into her stomach.

Frankie grimaced at the pain of her knees hitting the concrete upon sinking to them as she clutched at her stomach. "Found her." said the man before the butt of the rifle slammed into her head and her entire world had gone black.

She had been unsure she had been knocked out but when she came too, she heard shouting. "I said capture her! NOT KNOCK HER OUT!" screamed a voice that was all to familiar to her. She shot up in bed and looked down to see her left pant leg pushed up just under her knee and bandages around the spot above her ankle where the zombie had bitten her. She moved and pushed two fingers under the bandages, she felt the slickness of blood but other then that, there was no wounds.

"She kept running ma'am!" retorted a man's voice.

There was a huff and then running, obviously the woman scared the man. The door opened and Marian Mallon wheeled her chair into the room before shutting the door behind her. "Hello Frankie."

"Marian." she spoke as she pushed herself into the corner at the head of the bed and pulled her knees to her chest. "Why am I here?"

"I just wanted to talk to you." she stated making Frankie raise an eyebrow. "I only intended on him capturing you, not knocking you out so I do apologize for the incompetence of my men." The younger woman just remained quiet. "I saw you were bitten."

"Yeah I got bit twice now. My right shoulder was the first one but there's no scar thankfully and now my leg, which I don't think left a scar but I'll look when I get back to my safe house."

"Are you alone?"

"No...people will notice if I'm missing." she quickly answered making the blonde purse her lips.

Marian leaned back in her chair. "You can leave. I'm not holding you hostage."

Frankie grabbed her things and opened up the second story window before looking back at Marian, the blonde was smirking at her. "You're legit letting me leave?"

She nodded and smiled. "I'll probably see you soon anyways. Try not to get bitten any more."

Frankie grabbed her weapon and climbed out of the window, resting her upper body against the window sill and locking eyes with Marian before dropping.

_End Dream_

Hands were on her and shaking her making Frankie shoot up with a loud gasp. Leona was standing beside her bed with a slight sleepy expression. "Your phone has been going off." she stated making the older of the two inhale deeply and rub at her face. She grabbed her phone and saw it was 7am.

_Elise: I made cookies!_

_Ashe: Amazeballs!_

_Darrius: Did you just say amazeballs?_

_Lily: All I wake up to is balls...the fuck Ashe?_

_Ashe: I said AMAZEballs not just BALLS_

"Uh I'm really regretting this group chat shit now." she stated making the young woman snort with laughter. "You going to my Zombie meeting?" Leona nodded. "Don't mean to sound weird but I'm sort of glad you're here, the house is large and...quiet when it's just me."

"You have a two bedroom, two full bathrooms and one half bath in a two story house with a panic room between the kitchen and the living room where a dining room should be. Of course it's empty."

"I tried to downsize." laughed Frankie. "I didn't want a house, I asked for an apartment but no, the school district gives me a house."

Leona laughed hard and stood up off the bed. "I can make breakfast."

She shook her head and groaned. "I got it." she said standing up and unplugging her phone from it's charger.

The young woman followed her student down the stairs and into the kitchen. She whipped up some eggs, bacon, sausage, and hash browns. She and Leona ate while watching the TV from the Kitchen island but as soon as it struck 9am, Frankie went and got dressed. Dressing in a pair of black jeans, Street Fighter Cammy T-Shirt, her black boots, and her leather jacket. She put only eyeliner, light black eye shadow and lip gloss on before grabbing her bags and camera. One of her bags was a duffel bag packed with necessities, she had to break out of this habit. She had it packed in case something happened, she'd have everything with her.

Leona was waiting for her in the living room, tying her winter boots on as Frankie took her keys off the coffee table. The younger one of the two grabbed her purse and followed her teacher out to the SUV. The ride to the school was a little long, that was why Frankie wanted to leave early cause of Thanksgiving traffic. Leona was on her phone, ignoring calls from her mother and the one call from her father. The voicemail from her father however wasn't pleasant, he was yelling at her to get her things out of the house because no abomination would live there.

"Leona." spoke Frankie as she turned the wheel to go down a street. The teenager humming to acknowledge her. "If you want to get some things, I'll take you. I've handled my share of bigots before...my ex-girlfriend's parents for one. Then again they were okay with us dating, they just didn't like her dating a paranoid nut job who keeps preparing for a zombie outbreak."

That caught a snort of laughter out of Leona. "Thanks Frankie." she spoke.

The Willamette High School Gym was where she held her class. The Principal didn't care and gave her a key so she could come and go as she pleased. She unlocked the door and watched as Leona moved over towards the folding chairs, setting them out as Frankie grabbed the whiteboard and the stand she placed it on. After setting it up, she sat the table that Elise mainly put food on but she didn't feel right having her hold onto it.

"Do you have a Zombie Killing Playlist?" asked the younger of the two. Frankie hummed and nodded. "Wait really?"

"My dad has one oddly enough. So I made one before going to Los Perdidos for College. Came in use." she laughed.

The young brunette just smiled and sat down in one of the chairs as she pulled her phone out, going through her social media. She'd look up occasionally but Frankie wasn't doing anything really except writing on the white board with a marker cap held between her teeth. At exactly 10am, Elise walked through. She was one of her older members, well not older, she was after all only 39 years old.

Following her was Darrius and his little brother Derek. He was basically the spitting image of his older brother, except with a bit more hair since Darrius kept shaving his. He ran over to Frankie making her steel herself just in case he tried to throw himself into a hug but he stopped in front of her.

"Hi Miss. West." he said.

"Hello Derek." she spoke with a smile. 

He reached into his bag and pulled out a brown paper bag before holding it out proudly to the young woman. She looked at him curiously before taking it and opening it, a snort of laughter erupted from her making him grin. "This for my Thanksgiving desert?"

"If you want or you can eat it now." he stated. "They're mini cheesecakes."

"I'll save it." she smiled rubbing his head. "Thank you Derek."

Darrius ushered his brother over to the seats, she had never seen someone so excited about coming to a Zombie class. Leona walked over to her and chuckled. "Derek has a crush on you."

"Too young and born a male." she spoke making her crack a smile. "Plus my heart is taken."

Once everyone else arrived, they all quickly took their seats as Frankie had a map of Willamette drawn up on the board. She had the mall circled and the Old Town Safehouse. She also had how many panic rooms were in the mall written beside the circle. Basically today's topic was what if a zombie outbreak happened. Several people at her class lived in Old Town with a couple from West Ridge and one or two from North Peak.

Everyone pretty much loved Elise's cookies but the woman was a master when it came to her cooking regardless of it being actual food or deserts. Frankie held one of her Christmas inspired Zombie cookies between her teeth as she talked, people laughing as she refused to move it. She looked at her watch and used her left hand to break the cookie in half, the head snapping off as she chewed. It was 11:58am.

"Alright guys. Start packing up. It's Thanksgiving and I'm sure you've got families to get too." she spoke taking the eraser and running it across the board. Ashe and Lilly waved to her as they left, only stopping to see Leona wasn't leaving.

"Uh...Leona?"

"I gotta wait for Miss. West."

Frankie rolled her eyes at the title. "Her parents kicked her out." she spoke making the two look in shock.

"What?!" snapped Ashe. "WHY?! Oh my God, you came out didn't you?" Leona nodded making Ashe shake her head. "Always knew something was wrong with them."

"So...you're staying with Miss. West?" asked Lilly hugging Ashe's arm.

Leona nodded as Frankie grabbed her stuff after quickly putting everything away. "I have nowhere else to go. The closest family I have is Texas."

"I got it covered." she spoke looking at the two. "You going to the opening of the Mall tonight?" Ashe and Lilly nodded. "Cool, we'll meet you there." she stated with a smile making them run off.

Leona and Frankie climbed into the older woman's SUV and she dialed her mother as she put it on speaker. It rang three times before being picked up. "Hello sweetie."

"Hey mom. Look I hate to call you and make you go all lawyer but I need to ask you a question." she spoke.

"Go ahead."

Frankie ran a hand through her hair and looked at Leona. "You're seventeen right?" The brunette nodded. "Is it illgeal for a minor's parents to kick them out?"

Rayne went quiet for a moment before speaking "Unless they've been emancipated then yes, it would be considered child abandonment. That's a crime."

"Right...I thought so..."

"Honey?"

With a sigh the young woman shifted slightly. "I have a student currently staying with me. She came out to her parents last night as gay and they kicked her out. Her father sent her a message today ordering that she gets what she needs because no abomination will leave under their roof. I'm taking her there now to get some things."

She heard her mother tsk. "If you need a lawyer let me know."

That made the 20 year old laugh and she nodded, knowing full well her mother couldn't see that. "Yeah of course. You're the best lawyer in all of New York, who else would I go too?"

The two heard another woman in the background, cutting her mother off from speaking any more. "Frankie! You kick their ass if you need too!" shouted the voice of her step-mother, Piper.

"We do not need our daughter going to jail! Thank you very much, Piper!" retorted Rayne.

Frankie loved how whenever Rayne referred to Frankie, she said their daughter. Frank was totally cool with it, he was happy that Rayne had found someone who loved both her and Frankie. Plus the two got along great. "I'll take that into consideration Pipes. I gotta go. Traffic is fucking stupid." she spoke having to hit the break for the fouth time on the same street, she hated waiting for stop lights.

"Alright sweetie. We love you." she heard Piper's confirmation to Rayne's statement in the background.

With a smile, Frankie grabbed her phone off her leg and held it up. "Love you too. See ya guys." She hung up and pocketed her phone only to see Leona looking a bit sad. "You can stay with me as long as you gotta. I always told you kids if you need a place to stay, my door is open."

"Thanks." she whispered only to laugh as a hand rubbed at her head.

When arriving at Leona's house, Mr and Mrs. Douche-bag...oh sorry, Mr and Mrs. Lincoln weren't there. A note was left by Leona's mother that they were going out real quick and that Leona had to be gone by 4pm even though they both knew it wouldn't take four hours for Leona to get what she really needed. Frankie was examining the photos in the entrance way. Several of young brunette that she was currently taking care of. She picked up a Willamette snow globe and shook it, it had the old mall in it.

She had of course only seen pictures of it from her father. She scuffed and sat it back down when the 17 year old ran down the stairs with a suitcase and duffel bag. She patted Leona's cheek and the two left in Frankie's SUV. Going to the cafe that Frankie constantly visited for food. The two walked in and Leona followed Frankie to her corner booth.

Bethany brought Frankie her usual drink and the older woman watched as she took Leona's drink order before going to fetch it. "How come you don't have any pictures or anything in your house?"

"In case of an outbreak, it's an old habit I'm gonna have to somehow break out of plus if I take the long term position at Willamette High by the end of the year, I'll decorate my house. No point in really decorating if I'm here for a year." she spoke crossing her legs and leaning back.

It was around 3pm when Mr and Mrs. Lincoln walked in. Why? Either they wanted to belittle Leona in front of everyone or they were coming to apologize. "Leona!" spat Mr. Lincoln. Oh shit. Not to apologize. Frankie stood up as he walked towards her. "You fucking..."

"Now is not the place Mr. Lincoln!" spat Frankie quickly.

"Shut up you fucking dyke!" he spat making Frankie raise an eyebrow. She had heard so much worse from just people on the street of New York. If that didn't phase her, why would his little insult phase her. "You're the reason she's gay aren't you?!"

"Pretty sure I don't give off gay cooties. I mean all of my students would be gay." she spoke in the most smart ass attitude she could conjure up. "Also did you know kicking her out is illegal? Unless Leona is emancipated, which I know she is not, that you kicking her out is child abandonment which is a crime. See you can spent up a year in jail but my lawyer would make sure the both of you spend up to ten years."

One of the patrons at the cafe stood up, Frankie knew him. He looked like a regular old cowboy with a duster and hat, she also knew he carried two revolvers. His name was Jeb and he lived down the road from Frankie and helped her when some thugs actually attempted to mug her. Actually now that Frankie noticed, a lot of people were ready to jump to Leona and Frankie's aid.

Mr. Lincoln got in Frankie's face, the girl narrowing her eyes. "Don't talk about shit you don't understand."

"Oh." she cooed in a sickeningly sweet way. "That's so cute, you're trying to intimidate me. I've seen scarier children. Hell, I've seen scarier bunny rabbits."

Frankie saw a glimpse of strawberry blonde hair, it was enough to take her eyes off of the man in front of her. A fist slammed into her mouth, her head snapping back as she stumbled back a few steps until her ass met the table and stopped her. "DAD!" screamed Leona. The moment she stood up, he backhanded her as his wife smirked from behind him, she was just as much of the problem as he was even if she hadn't opened her mouth yet. Frankie saw Jeb getting up and moving around everyone as fast as he could as she regained her posture.

The man in front of her went at her but before he could even try, he was rammed into by a woman shaped battering ram. He sprawled onto the ground, a booted foot slamming down on his chest and making him gasp out as a pistol was aimed at his face. Fontana stood there glaring down at the man as her Lieutenant had his gun on Leona's mother who had attempted to go at Fontana and stop her.

"You alright?" asked Fontana.

Running the side of her hand across her mouth, she saw a smear of blood making her huff. "I've taken worse hits from children."

"And the kid?"

"I've been backhanded before, I'll survive." answered Leona rubbing at her red cheek.

Fontana twisted her foot making him groan. "What should we do with you, huh? You attack Frankie and expect nobody to retort. Although it seems like this fine gentlemen was about to come to Frankie's aid." she motioned towards Jeb who tipped his hat. 

Agnes came over to Frankie and took her face in her hands, pressing a nearly ice cold wet rag to her lip and telling her to hold it there as she moved to attend to Leona. "Let them go." spoke Frankie making Fontana look at her. "They're assholes but let them go."

"Lucky day asswipe." spat the strawberry blonde removing her foot from his chest and allowing Mr. Lincoln to stand up. She put herself between the younger woman and the man as he moved.

He pointed at Leona and glared at her. "Don't you ever fucking come home."

"I won't." she hissed.

Fontana caught Frankie's waist as the man threw her a middle finger, pulling Frankie flush against her front. The woman actually relaxed against the Commander and exhaled heavily, holding the cold rag to her mouth still.

"I should've reacted first, I knew you could handle it but..." spoke Jeb but Frankie smacked his hat down with a smile on her face. She waved it off and he rubbed her head before sitting beside Leona, the two of them introducing themselves to one another in the process.

Fontana released Frankie, the young woman removing the rag from her mouth and hissing at the sight of a pretty good amount of blood, plus doing that also caused pain to radiate through her lower lip due to her skin pulling apart. "Thanks Commander." spoke the 20 year old.

"If I had been here sooner, he wouldn't have laid a hand on his daughter...let alone you." spoke the strawberry blonde and she saw the girl smile softly, ignoring the pain in her bottom lip.

The two moved in different directions, Frankie sitting across from Leona and Jeb as Fontana joined the men and women who came with her. Christoper and Agnes outdid themselves when it came to the dinner, Frankie ended up passed out in the booth shortly after eating, completely unaware to Fontana as she draped her jacket over her to keep her warm.

It wasn't until roughly 9pm, when Leona shook her awake. She inhaled sharply and saw the teenager standing there. Rolling her head to the side, she looked out the window and saw the sun was down. She shifted and caught the scent of cedar and leather making her look down. She saw the white jacket with the Obscuris logo on the arm drapped over and rose an eyebrow.

"That Fontana lady covered you up before leaving. You've been out for about four hours." spoke Leona making Frankie inhale deeply before shaking out her hair. No wonder her neck had a crick in it. "Ashe texted me, her mom is taking her and Lilly to the mall now."

"Ah. Right." she managed. "Lets go."

She grabbed her bag and Fontana's jacket, waving to the owners on their way on. Bethany was gone, she must've gone to the mall. She climbed into the SUV and rubbed at her eyes as Leona buckled herself in. She tossed her leather jacket into the back seat and draped Fontana's over her lap after buckling herself in and starting the car. The drive to the mall was as expected, it was crowded as fuck.

She managed to find a parking spot in the indoor garage and backed her car in. Leona hopped out, all eager but she was a teenager after all. Frankie climbed out with her bag, with her camera nestled safely inside, and slid on Fontana's jacket, leaving it unzipped as she tugged the sleeves up to just bellow her elbows.

The two walked through the open doors, avoiding people who were in line. They made a B-Line for the Food Court, Frankie had a feeling her period was coming cause she was getting like really, really hungry but then again she only ate Thanksgiving dinner and those cheesecakes that Derek made her. That was where they met up with Ashe, Lilly, Darrius, Derek, Elise, and at least five other students of Frankie's.

They hung out in the food court, the majority of the mall was open but some stores didn't open until 4-5am. Darrius was taking photos and posting them on their social media, mainly Instagram while tagging everyone that was with him.

He ran over to Frankie who stood in line for Rojo Diablo. His phone aimed at her making her flinch once seeing it. "Say hi." he spoke making her chuckle. 

"Darris, it's four thirty in the morning. I look like crap." she stated as she stepped up to the cash register. "One burrito please with a bottle of soda." The man nodded and punched it in, the young woman pushing Darrius' camera aside as she swiped her card and put her pin in.

"Your mom's been liking all the photos I've tagged you in." Frankie just chuckled as she took her reciept.

"She does that."

Frankie moved off to the side and leaned against the counter when she looked to the side and saw a strawberry blonde that made her heart speed up. Fontana stood there with out her white jacket, since Frankie was currently wearing it, but was wearing a white long sleeve shirt with the Obscuris symbol on both shoulders and holy shit did her shirt define her biceps. Darrius rose an eyebrow at Frankie's longing expression and realized she was staring at Fontana.

She took the brown paper bag and bottle from the woman, nodding her thanks before heading towards Fontana who was ordering her men, all of them had an assault rifle but nobody questioned it. Darrius moved and saw Frankie stand by Fontana with a smile, he quickly took a picture and used his editor to point at Fontana before posting it with 'Look who Frankie has a crush on.'

The Commander looked at Frankie and seemed taken back at the sight of the young woman. "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same question." she smiled

Fontana cleared her throat and snapped her fingers, pointing off to the side and the men nodding before leaving. "You look good in my jacket."

"You need it back?"

With a shake of her head, Fontana tugged on the jacket a bit. "Maybe another time. You can borrow it for tonight. I'm quite warm." Frankie hummed as she eyed up her biceps making the woman in front of her raise an eyebrow, her pale blue eyes looking the younger woman up and down. Fontana swore she heard a phone camera clicking a lot but didn't say anything as she pushed hair out of Frankie's face. "I gotta get to work. You enjoy the grand opening."

Fontana turned and pulled her radio off her hip once hearing one of her men speak over it. Frankie giggled a little and went to head towards her students when she saw Darrius with his camera aimed towards her. She should've said something but she couldn't, she was happy. She moved to the table and unwrapped her burrito, ignoring the teasing comments from her students as she took a large bite out of her food.

She listened to her students speaking excitedly about the stores they wanted to go to opening at 5am. Elise stayed with Frankie, technically playing the chaperone role. It wasn't until maybe 10 minutes after 5am that everything changed. Frankie was throwing her garbage away as the students waited for her when she heard a loud scream. It practically turning her blood cold. She had heard similar screams during the Los Perdidos Outbreak. She spun around and saw a zombie run towards a woman before tackling her down. The zombie ran...the zombie FUCKING ran.

"Miss. West!" shouted one of her students but she was mainly in shock as she stared as the zombie ripped into the woman's shoulder, a scream erupting from her. "FRANKIE!"

The 20 year old snapped out of whatever trance she was in as a zombie ran at her. She ran out of the way, it slamming into the trashcan. "Get my bag and run! Find a safe house!" she screamed making Elise grab Frankie's bag and shout for the kids to follow her to the entrance. That had to be their way out.

The young woman took a detor and punched an emergency box, her fist crashing through the glass and her hand wrapping around the handle of a fire axe. She didn't waste any time spinning around and slamming it hard into the head of a zombie who had gone for her. She slammed her foot against it's chest and kicked it backwards off the blade as her eyes narrowed in anger. She took off running, following her students and friend's path. She killed a zombie that tackled a young man and grabbed his hand, pulling him up onto his feet before running.

She ran faster and killed a zombie that almost bit Elise. She pulled her into a run as they ran after her students were were running for the Christmas village, it was near the entrance. When they came around the corner to lead to the entrance, Frankie stopped as she saw the Quarantine shutters down but one had a massive whole ripped through it. What looked like half of a van was laying inside the entrance, she see and hear gunfire just outside the door. She saw several men and women wearing white with black uniforms, the Obscuris logos on their shoulders.

Frankie knit her brows together and threw her arm back, the axe lodging into a zombie's head, it's hands outstretched towards her. She kicked it back and heard the wet sound of it being removed from her blade, blood dripping from it and hitting the ground. The ground was already slick with blood in places, people were dead and...turning. Wait what? Why were they turning so fast?! One woman, who was twitching on the floor, roared and rolled over to stand up. Her eyes completely red as she ran for Derek making Frankie throw herself into a run. She grabbed the young boy around the waist and threw the both of them down.

She rolled over and planted her feet against zombie's stomach as she caught it's mouth with the handle of her fire axe. Blood from the woman's open neck wound dripped onto Frankie's face making her close her mouth tightly and turn her face to the side as she struggled. She heard something hit the zombie but it didn't seem phased by the fact that Leona had just struck it in the back with a chair. Yeah no, it was more concentrated on it's meal that was directly bellow her.

"Fontana." she managed. "Get Fontana!"

"But..."

"GET FONTANA!" she screamed making Derek run by Leona as Darrius shouted for him to come back. She knew by the way he was running that he was attempting to get Fontana but an Obscuris man aimed his gun at Derek making him tense and Frankie's eyes widen. The man didn't fire though, he fired at his feet making him jump back and Darris run for him. What was going on? Why was Fontana's man firing at a civilian?

Looking, she could see that Elise was doing her best protecting the other students who were in one of the stores looking for weapons. She grunted as the zombie threw all it's weight on her making her knees buckle a little under the weight.

Leona was tackled down by a zombie making her scream and Frankie snatched up her zombie by the neck, her fingers digging into the wound on it's neck as she swung her axe out and struck the zombie trying to bite Leona. It slamming into the back of it's head as her own zombie problem pushed harder and she groaned loud as she fingers were pushing against a lot of things she never wanted to be touching before in her life.

A gun shot went off and the zombie on top of Frankie went completely still before a booted foot slammed into it's side. She looked to the side, expecting Fontana but it was a very beautiful woman a couple years older than herself, dressed like a cowgirl. She knew her of course, Jeb had introduced Frankie to his daughter Bonnie about a month ago. "Go. Dad's helping Elise get the students to the safe house in Caribbean Cove." She took Frankie's hand and helped her up as she passed her a revolver and fired at a zombie going at Derek who was being lead back by Darrius.

Frankie pulled Leona close and ran. There was so much chaos...so much. She had been out in public that day the Los Perdidos incident happened but it hadn't been this confined. Sure, she had seen the aftermath of restaurants, stores, and the like but she had never SEEN it. By the time they ran into the Caribbean Cove, she had all of her students that happened to be at the mall with her until they passed the first kiosk. She heard a scream and turned to see one student, Rick, being pulled down by a zombie.

"No!" shouted Frankie, a zombie ramming into her and making her fire axe hit the ground with a loud clang before sliding across the floor. She grabbed the zombie by the chin and the back of his neck before snapping it quickly. She scrambled onto her feet and saw a broken mirror laying on the kiosk, she grabbed a piece of broken mirror into her hand and moved to stab the zombie that was biting Rick only to see it was too late.

Three other zombies began biting into him as he screamed and twitched. She backed up, realizing there was nothing more for her to do. She turned and saw Elise run through the doors that lead to the stairs that headed down to the safe house. Frankie moved and grabbed her fire axe before running after all of them. Swiping her right hand to use the shard of glass to kill a zombie in her way.

Running for the door, she saw Jeb firing at any zombies coming that way but they were being attracted to the sound. She swore and back up a bit. "Go! I'll find my way around!" she shouted making him look uneasy but he did so, the doors slamming shut and cutting off the zombies from him.

Frankie took off running and dodged any zombies that went at her. She ran by a few stores before seeing a pair of escalators, she took off down one of them, a zombie falling down and almost bowling her over. She was just thankful she managed to catch herself, ignoring the bite of glass as it pushed through her skin. Why did she have this fucking mirror piece still anyways? She kicked the zombie down all the way once it was in her way and kept going down the stairs, slamming the fire axe into it's face once reaching the end and going through the double doors.

She stopped once going through. Standing in the open space between the door and the safe house doors that lead to the parking garage, was two Obscuris men talking over their radios. "Repeat Commander?" asked one, their backs to Frankie.

"I said kill any civilians you encounter." spoke Fontana's voice.

"W-What..." was all that came out of Frankie in a puff of breath, her face reading she couldn't full understand why Fontana would say that.

"Roger that Commander." spoke the man when one of them turned, the one with out the radio and he hit the other guy's arm making him look. He smirked and hit the button his radio. "Civilian sighted." He rose his gun and she moved fast just before he opened fire, the bullets striking the ground and wall making her scream.

She fell behind a car, glass shattering and falling around her. "Flank her." spoke the other man.

"Come out little girl." he spoke as Frankie peaked around the corner, he was holding the radio button down. Great, so Fontana was listening to all of this. She moved back and laid down, sliding herself under the car and slowly moving as they went to the sides of the car. She pulled herself out as they went to her previous location. "What the fuck?"

She moved quickly and slammed the mirror piece into the side of the man's neck with out the radio and kicked his body to the ground, his assault rifle clattering making the man with the radio look. He shot at her and she fell behind the car. He went after her when he screamed as the mirror piece struck his thigh and he fell to the ground, the radio hitting the ground.

"Johnson!" shouted their Commander's voice over the radio as he attempted to shoot Frankie who punched him hard in the face making both of them cry out. Him from the punch and her from the glass embedding further into her palm. She grabbed his face and twisted, his neck snapping and he went limp.

The safe house doors opened and Jeb ran around the car with his revolver out only to see Frankie panting. "Holy shit kid." he laughed holstering his gun and grabbing her fire axe off the ground. She stood up, grabbing both assault rifles with her free hand and his radio. "We heard the shooting but...they couldn't get in, so we thought maybe they started shooting zombies until we heard your scream. Would've come out sooner but they were facing the doors, wanted to get them when their backs were turned. You took care of yourself thought."

"Los Perdidos Outbreak survivor." was all she saw as she passed him to get into the Safe house.

"Johnson!" roared Fontana's voice over the radio. Frankie looked at the radio, her thumb rubbing against the button before pushing it down. She opened her mouth to say something but instead she released the button. "Johnson repeat."

Jeb looked at her and saw Frankie staring at the radio with a look of sadness on her face. He looked down and saw her bleeding hand, the hand holding the broken piece of glass. He took the assault rifles from her as he lead her into the safe house. He sat them down on the table that Darrius found and brought out so they could put their things there, figure out what they had. 

"Bon." spoke the older man making his daughter look. "Take Frankie and clean her wounds."

"Wounds?" asked Frankie with a weird look before looking down. Her hand holding the mirror piece had blood streaming down her fist and her knuckles on her other hand had small cuts with dried blood from punching the glass of the emergency box. "Ah fuck."

Bonnie lead her took the medical room and took down the first aide kit before sitting down with Frankie. She uncurled Frankie's fist as gingerly as she could before easing the mirror piece out of her hand, she quickly wet some gauze with rubbing alcohol and ran it over the wound. The girl in front of her didn't hiss or flinch, she just stared at the radio in her other hand, occasionally hitting the button as if she'd say something. Fontana spoke a few more times before going quiet.

Once the hand was bandaged Bonnie had her put the radio in her other hand to clean her knuckles and pick out any shards of glass that were still there. She wrapped her knuckles up before smiling at her. "All done." she stated as Frankie looked at her.

"Thanks." she stated before standing up.

She took her bag and fire axe from the table where Jeb put them before going down the stairs quickly. She went into the living quarters where 16 sets of bunk beds were. She took a left as soon as she entered the room and went all the way to the last bunk up against the wall beside a set of lockers. She took a black marker out of her back and wrote Frankie's across the locker door before taking Fontana's jacket out of her bag, really thankful she put the pristine white jacket away before the outbreak happened.

Frankie looked at her phone and saw it was 5:40am. All of that took course over 30 minutes? She sighed and laid her head down on the pillow as she opened her phone, several notifications telling her that Darrius tagged her on Instagram. She knew the typical process during an outbreak and was pretty certain there would be no outgoing signal soon. She opened her phone and dialed her mother's number, tucking the phone between her head and the pillow.

It rang several times before stopping and she heard "You're calling real early sweetie."

"Mommy." she managed making Rayne go quiet.

"What happened?"

"A lot." she whispered. "Where do I start?"

She heard the clanging of what sounded like silverware hitting a plate. Piper probably made the two of them breakfast. "Sweetie?"

Frankie cleared her throat and stared at the wall of lockers. "At ten after five, I was attacked by a zombie." Something broke and she heard Piper gasp. Rayne had her on speaker phone. "There are safe houses in Willamette, one in each part of town. There are panic rooms in some homes and businesses. We...uh...we managed to make it to the safe house in Caribbean Cove."

"What happened? You sound...off." spoke Piper's voice, laced with concern.

The radio she took off the Obscuris soldier laid in front of her on the bed. "The woman I like told her men to kill civilians...I got separated from everyone I was with, a great deal of zombies between us ya know. So I told them I'd find a way around, which I did but they saw me and tried to kill me. The Soldiers I mean."

"You killed them in defense." sighed her mother.

She nodded, as if her mother could see her before sighing. "Yeah."

"And you're adrenaline is wearing down so you're getting sleepy." added Piper.

Yeah, that was true. She was feeling tired. "I wanted to call cause I know the protocol. They'll probably cut the signal for anything outgoing and won't be able to call you for a while so...I wanted to tell you I love you both."

"We love you too, Francesca." A smile formed on her face, regardless of the fact her actual name was used and not her nickname. "If your father calls us, we'll let him know okay?" Frankie hummed a noise to let them know she understood. "You stay safe and if you can, somehow, call us or contact us in anyway. God forbid this goes on for like six weeks and I don't hear from you, I'll go fucking crazy."

She laughed at her mother's statement and nodded once more. "Yeah of course. I'll figure it out."

Rayne hummed and she heard Piper say something about kicking zombie ass. "We love you honey."

"Love you too mom and Piper of course."

They said their byes, her mother telling her she loved her once more and upon hanging up. She reached into her bag and pulled the phone charger out, plugging it into the phone and then into the wall. She sat it down on the floor with the radio beside it before putting Fontana's jacket over her arms and head, letting sleep over take her.

It wasn't until literally 12 hours later that she was awoken. Someone was shaking her and it was bothering the ever living fuck out of her. She sat up, Fontana's jacket pooling in her lap as she glared at whoever was responsible of waking her. Derek stood there looking all timid and her glare quickly faded away.

He rubbed at his arm as he avoided eye contact. "Darrius wanted to know if you could help him with something. He didn't wanna wake you and wanted you to wake up on your own but he needed your opinion like now."

"Right. Tell him I'll be there in a few minutes."

He nodded and smiled. "He's upstairs."

"Got it." She flashed a thumbs up and swung her legs off the bed. She looked at her phone and saw that there was still signal but she was curious as too if she could call her mother. She redialed her mother's number and it quickly went to some automatic voice that said her call couldn't be completed. She hummed and licked at her dry lips before dialing Darrius. It rang, several times in fact.

"Aren't you downstairs?" he asked once answering.

"I was checking to see if I could call you, who is in Willamette. I couldn't call my mother, who is in New York. Whoever did this is keeping us from telling people outside. I'll be upstairs in a minute."

"Roger that." He hung up and she stood up off the bed with a groan.

She pocketed her phone and hooked the radio to her hip before grabbing Fontana's jacket and dumping everything in her bag out onto her bed. She snatched up only her camera and left the living quarters. She ran up the stairs and was quickly met with a camera, her hand coming up to block half of the picture making Darrius laugh.

"Instagram worthy!"

"Yeah, cool. What did you need that I had to be woken up at..." she looked at her watch and her eyes slightly widened. "Quarter of six in the afternoon. You let me sleep for twelve hours?"

"Leona attempted to wake you up but you were knocked the fuck out." he stated.

Speaking of which, Frankie looked around for Leona and saw her in the corner by what looked like a small work out area with Ashe and Lilly. "What did you need?"

He pocketed his phone and nodded before pulling a map of the mall out. "We need more supplies, well I think we might. Jeb says there's enough for two or three months but still...we might get other survivors or people that need help such as food and water so..."

"Yeah I gotcha. We need more food, water, maybe medicine, and various goods." she stated taking the map from him. "I'm thinking of moving us to the Old Town Shelter."

"Why?"

"Why? Cause I don't like this location. The Old Town Shelter has fencing all around. Anyone could get down here and try to get in. The fencing would provide us some extra protection." she walked to the safe house doors and looked out, raising an eyebrow at the white van she saw. "I can hot wire...don't you fucking ask." she said pointing at him making him snort with laughter. "Hot wire that and go there. I'll gather supplies and any survivors I find. We'll leave at nine-thirty or ten. Gives me a few hours."

"What about us?" asked Bonnie, having caught the conversation.

"Hm?" she hummed looking. "Oh. I don't want my students out there. You, Jeb, and Elise are the only other adults here."

"I turn eighteen in two weeks!" shouted Leona.

"Still seventeen! Still a minor!" retorted Frankie.

Leona shrugged as Bonnie winked at her making the girl's cheeks turn red. Frankie rose an eyebrow at the situation and chuckled. They would be cute together. "Oh...seems like Leona has a crush." whispered Darrius.

"I won't do anything until she's eighteen but nobody said I couldn't tease." smirked the cowgirl.

A snort left Frankie making Bonnie smile. "Alright, Bonnie do me a favor. Get some paper and ask everyone what they want me to look out for." She reached into her bag and sighed. "I forgot something on my bed."

Bonnie nodded and went to her bag as Frankie ran back down stairs and went over to her bed. She pulled the leather harness off and shrugged her jacket off to slid it on, clipping the strap shut just under her breasts and hooking her camera to the strap that hung against her side. It was a gift from her father, much like the camera itself. She put Fontana's jacket back on and ran back up stairs.

She grabbed her fire axe, which had been placed on the table Darrius pulled out earlier. Bonnie walked over to her and passed her the paper. She saw tampons and tried not to laugh but...yeah she needed them just as much as the other young ladies in the safe house. She was asked for the typical, clothes, weapons, certain types of food, medicine, and backpacks. She walked up the stairs and went through the door that lead into the hallways that would normally be off limits except to mall staff.

She ran a hand through her hair before sighing and turning the radio on. The hallways were somewhat bare except for a few slow zombies. She wondered how long the recently turned zombies stayed as fast as they did. She remembered vaguely hearing Daryl speaking, while sleeping, about how he over heard a passing survivor call them Fresh Zombies. She spun the axe before swinging it, it lodging right into the zombie's head. She kicked it back and crouched beside it, after it hit the ground. 

She checked his pockets, pulled out a cell phone and wallet. She slid it into the side of her bag, she'd tried to find next of kin as long as they weren't in Willamette. It was something she learned from her father, he mentioned having a notebook that was mainly full of dead people but he found their next of kin to inform them. She scoffed a little, her father had mentioned how his student Vick Chu said he didn't care about anyone but himself. She knew nothing about him and it pissed her off.

She shook her head and moved the zombie's jacket to find a holstered knife on the zombie's hip. She undid the holster and stood up. This was something she took to doing in Los Perdidos, searching zombie bodies for supplies as well as the bodies of anyone hostile enough that it meant she had to kill them.

She walked to the double doors, the ones that her group had run through when everything happened, and pressed her ear to the door. She could hear shuffling and moaning...wait. Was that gunfire? She prayed they were nice survivors and that it didn't take literally 12 hours for hostile survivors to come out of their holes.

She cracked the door open and peered out to see the zombies making their way towards the sound of the gunfire. Well that was good at least. She slowly slid out of the door and shut it behind her. She moved to the nearest store, making sure none of the distracted zombies saw her. She slipped inside and saw she was in a surf store making her raise an eyebrow. First of all there was no surfing in Willamette, Colorado but from what she heard, the Caribbean Cove was suppose to have a wave pool or...something.

She moved to the next store and saw it was a clothes store and saw backpacks. Perfect. She grabbed one backpack and managed to put other backpacks into it before zipping it closed. Taking one more down, she put as much shirts as she could into the backpack along with some bras the store sold and was thankful that bra sizes were written down. She zipped that bag up as well and grabbed the both of them before walking to the exit, peering out to see some zombies lingering but it seemed like the majority of them had gone after the gun fire.

Her radio crackled but thankfully it didn't catch the attention of the zombies. She pulled it off her hip and placed it beside her ear as she walked to a kiosk and rose an eyebrow at a t-shirt that read 'I survived Willamette 2006', wondering how her father would take to seeing it. "Didn't take long for the crazies to come of their holes." spoke a voice over the radio.

"Yeah, they're in the mall." sighed a female voice, that wasn't Fontana's. "What do we do Commander?"

"Kill them." retorted Fontana's voice.

"They're attacking and killing survivors. Executing them actually." spoke the woman's voice.

She heard Fontana sigh. "We've got the main entrance covered. Kill any hostiles, let the civilians they're attacking go...for now."

"Roger."

"Roger."

Frankie was almost half tempted to say 'Roger' herself since she was listening in but instead snatched the Willamette shirt down and stuffed it into one of the backpacks and walked to the tanning salon. She opened a door and opened a tanning bed, setting the bags there before gripping her axe tight in her right hand and runing.

The Obscuris Soldiers did as they instructed but had gotten captured by a group of hostile survivors close to the entrance but not close enough for their Commander to send them help. Their helmets were ripped off and one of Hostile survivors laughed, her voice distorted by her gas mask. "They really thought they could sneak up on us."

"Our Commander ordered..." the man screamed as a bullet struck his leg. 

"Nobody said you could talk!" snapped a gas mask wearing man. He pointed the gun to the woman beside the wounded man. "Tell us where your Commander is and we'll let you live."

She scoffed. "I highly doubt that."

He just chuckled and shook his head as he moved towards their supplies that was spread out onto the kiosk behind him.

The sound of running caught the kneeling woman's attention making her look to the side. A figure was sprinting right for them and at first assumed it was a Fresh Zombie until she saw the fire axe in her hand. It was only when she saw the jacket that she realized exactly who the woman was. She had been there when their Commander covered up the sleeping girl in the cafe. The jacket was thrown off as the woman screamed in what could only be described as anger.

A hostile survivor turned only for the fire axe to slam right into the side of his neck. Blood squirting out and hitting her face but she seemed completely unfased by what had just happened and slammed her foot into him. The axe ripping out of his neck before she spun around, her foot striking the Hostile Survivor creeping up on her across the face. It sent him down to the ground as she stood there breathing heavily as the standing three Hostile Survivors seemed completely in shock.

"Kill her!" shouted one of them making her run and dive behind a kiosk as they opened fire.

Frankie slid across the ground and quickly scrambled up onto her feet, crouching to press herself against the kiosk. It wasn't until she heard all three of their guns click, indicating thy were out of ammo, that she ran out from behind her cover and right at them. She dodged a punch from one of them and slammed the end of the axe handle straight into one girl's face before swinging it. It striking right into the side of another survivor when she was kicked aside, her hands releasing the axe from just the force of the kick.

The 20 year old stumbled before actually slipping and hitting the ground. She narrowed her eyes into a glare and picked herself up, ignoring the painful tingling in her right side from the kick. "You made a bit mistake girlie." spoke the man she had kicked a few minutes ago.

"You have no idea how many times I heard that in Los Perdidos." she chuckled darkly. "And yet, here I stand."

He ran at her as she slid her feet apart and steeled herself. He slammed right into her but she slid only a few inches back as she used all her strength to keep him from moving her. Her knee struck him in the face, making him screen before she looped her arm around his neck and twisted quickly. His neck snapping and his body falling limp as she looked at the remaining two survivors, the one she had hit in the side with her axe was trying to get away but nearby zombies went at him and tackled him down making him scream as they tore into him.

She ran for her fire axe but screamed as a hand snatched up her hair. She was yanked back and thrown onto the ground. A gasp leaving her as the wind was knocked out of her. "We gotta get loose." said the woman Soldier as she struggled against the zip ties the Gas Mask wearing crazies tied their hands back with.

"Why?" asked one of the men.

"She'll die!"

"We weren't ordered to save civilians that saved us."

She huffed in annoyance and quickly shifted her body to put her legs through the opening between her arms so her hands were in front of her. She stood up and ran towards their stuff, thankful the girl kept the Gas Mask people occupied.

Frankie rolled onto her stomach and stood up, forcing herself to ignore all the pain her body was currently in. "You'll die here." said the woman.

"I also heard that a lot in Los Perdidos and yet..." she motioned to herself and that seemed to piss the woman off. She ran at her with a scream of rage.

The woman threw a punch at her and Frankie caught it, quickly catching her other fist as it went at her. She twisted and kneed her straight in the chest before kicking her back. The Obscuris woman grabbed her knife and cut the binds before snatching up one of her guns and attempted to fire but it clicked. They had removed the ammo...of course they fucking did. She ran for the fire axe and snatched it up before tossing it to Frankie who caught it with out looking and swung it using only her right hand.

The axe went right into the chest of the man who had attempted to help his friend. He gasped aloud before falling backwards but Frankie held the axe in place so it slid right out of him as he fell to the ground. The young woman putting the axe against her shoulder with a smirk on her face towards the remaining survivor. She backed up as she stared at the young woman. She needed to fight back but it was just her and already the woman had killed four of them just by herself.

The woman turned and high tailed it making Frankie shift her weight from one foot to another. The moment the woman rounded the corner to leave by the main entrance, the sound of gun fire was heard. She turned and was face-to-face with the Obscuris woman. "Thank you." she spoke making Frankie nod and go to pick up the white jacket, shaking it out a bit.

"Private Jones!" shouted Fontana's voice making Frankie back up, it hadn't come from a radio.

Obscuris rounded the corner and the moment some of them saw Frankie, they opened fire making the woman take off running. "Wait no!" shouted the woman. "She saved us!"

"Cease fire!" shouted Fontana as she walked out from her group. That didn't stop the young woman from running. She disappeared around a corner and down a hallway. The strawberry blonde looked at the dead bodies and then at her soldiers. "Jones, report."

The woman looked at her Commander. "We were being held hostage, most likely to be executed when a survivor came to our rescue." she spoke.

"I find that hard to believe." scoffed Fontana before noticing her injured soldier. "Medic, take care of him." A soldier ran by her and straight to the wounded soldier.

"It was the girl you gave your jacket too." spoke Private Jones making Fontana's gaze snap to her.

"I find that extremely hard to believe. She's a photography teacher and most likely dead." There was sadness behind Fontana's voice, everyone knew she had a thing for that young woman and for some reason was convinced the woman couldn't defend herself.

Private Jones sighed. "Right, of course ma'am. Maybe it was someone that looked like her."

In Caribbean Cove, Frankie rammed down three zombies as she ran for the tanning salon. She grabbed her bags and went to stores on the other end to get the rest of the supplies they needed. Obscuris never came near Caribbean Cove, probably handling everything in the front part of the mall. Frankie managed to find a cart to carry her stuff in and when she arrived in the safe house, it was 10:40pm.

She went into the garage with Jeb, he was watching her back as she went to hot wire the van but found the set of keys on the passanger seat. That just made things easier. She helped the rest pack up the van. Jeb climbed into the driver seat and Frankie climbed in through the sliding side down. She closed it and once everyone was inside, Jeb began driving out of the mall's underground parking lot. They were about to pass what looked like Military trucks when the 20 year old huffed.

"Stop the van." Jeb hesitantly did so. She opened the door and stepped out with her bag in her hand, making Leona grab her arm. "I'll catch up."

"No." said Leona.

"Bonnie will take care of you." she teased. "I need to see what they're doing."

Elise shook her head and moved beside Leona. "This is idiotic. You could die. Get in the van."

"Channel five." spoke Bonnie making them all look at her. "I took the radio off the other dead Obscuris soldier while you were sleeping. They use seven, we'll talk on five. Let her do what she needs to guys. She's mentioned she survived Los Perdidos, you think Willamette will kill her?"

Leona hesitantly took her arm off her teacher and Frankie smiled. "Ashe, you're the oldest among my students."

"I-I am?" asked Ashe, she was hugging Lilly's arm.

"Take care of them." she spoke before shutting the door.

She ran from the van and towards the trucks. She managed to sneak by some Obscuris soldiers and move around the tents. She couldn't go in the front way with out being seen, she'd find a way around. She found a space between a tent and the wall the main stairs were connected too. She slipped her body between the space and crouched down by where the tent ended.

Fontana was pacing back and forth in the courtyard the tents made. Frankie unhooked her camera from her holster and took the lenses cap off before raising it up and snapping a photo. That was when Frankie realized the statute in front of the Willamette Memorial Megaplex mall had fucking bodies on it. Okay...what the fuck?! She snapped a picture of that before taking pictures of the soldiers placing bodies in body bags and placing numbers in front of them, the numbers looking like what police used for crime scenes. 

"Someone turn that fucking music off!" spat the Commander.

Now that she mentioned it, Frankie heard a radio playing the song Oh Willamette. She was mouthing the words as she rose the camera up to take more photos, leaning back as she saw soldiers get a bit too close for comfort. She frowned as the radio was turned off due to Fontana's order. 

What was going on? Why were bodies, that didn't look like zombies at all, doing impaled on the statue? Why were they bagging dead bodies? She leaned back a bit and that was when loud music began playing from her back pocket. And WHO THE FUCK had her zombie killing playlist open?! She scrambled for her phone but by the time she managed to stop the music it was to late.

Fontana's head snapped towards her direction as Frankie paled before quickly turning, hooking her camera back to her holster, and running making the Commander run after her. Private Jones was walking by when Frankie raced by her towards the indoor parking garage just outside the mall's entrance. She burst through the doors and ran right for her SUV only to stop as she saw the gate down. She swore and ran for it as Fontana ran through.

Frankie went to hit the button on the panel beside the gate but had to avoid it and dodge the woman quickly, she turned went to run back for her car. A hand grabbed her jacket, she quickly slid out of it before spinning around and tossing it over Fontana's head, blinding and disorienting her momentary. The Commander ripped the jacket off and ran towards Frankie who ran for her SUV, throwing both hands into her pockets but her keys weren't there. Fuck...she wouldn't have time to hot wire the SUV with out being caught. She slid around the car and quickly got behind it.

She heard the sounds of the woman coming to a stop, could hear her heavy breathing. She quickly and quietly moved to the next car and got beside it. She got onto her stomach and slid under it as Fontana rounded her SUV only to see that the woman she was pursuing wasn't there. "Come out girlie!"

What was it with people calling her girlie? She pressed her forehead to the cold concrete as she panted. What was she suppose to do? If she could even make it out, Fontana would be on the hunt for anyone with a camera...or Fontana would chase her all the way to the Old Town Safe House. She saw Fontana walk by the van she was hiding under and slid out on the other side as she shouted for Frankie to come out, not knowing it was her. All she knew as it was some woman taking photos she shouldn't have been.

Frankie crouched beside the van, unhooked her camera and put it away into her bag before digging in her backpack to find what she needed most. Her fingertips brushed cold metal and she grabbed the keyring to her keys. She silently pulled them out and moved to get behind her SUV but the moment she got directly behind it, hands seized her shoulders and she was thrown hard against the concrete wall. A gasp erupted from Frankie, the wind being knocked out of her and her shoulder throbbing like a bitch. She felt her arms be twisted around, her fingers quickly moving her keys to grab her clicker and press the open trunk button.

She heard the impact of the trunk door opening and striking Fontana in the back, the older woman hissing in pain as she pressed firmly against the young woman's back. Frankie planted one foot against the wall and used all her strength to throw the both of them back. They landed in her trunk with a thump and Frankie twisted her body so she could climb over the back seat. Fontana grabbed her right ankle the moment her upper body was over the seat and snatched up her left ankle before pulling.

Frankie shouted something incoherent as her body was yanked backwards but she grabbed hold of the front seat. Her nails scrapping against the fabric as she was pulled back. She was pulled hard enough that she lost her grip on the front seat and she scrambled to grab purchase on anything, grabbing the edge of the back seat as Fontana pulled.

Fontana pulled hard enough that Frankie lost her grip and grunted as she hit the floor of her trunk. She was yanked across the floor until her legs hung out of the trunk before being spun around and the woman slotting herself between them, pinning Frankie's wrists to the floor.

Pale blue eyes locked with blue. Frankie was panting as Fontana loomed over her. She could tell by the older woman's expression that she realized who she had pinned. She could see the regret in her eyes but that quickly faded away. "I don't remember authorizing your press pass." spoke the older woman.

"I don't bother with press passes, too much hassle." answered Frankie.

Fontana grabbed Frankie's wrists with her left hand and dug into her pockets before pulling out a black zip tie. She forced her wrists to go over her stomach and tied them together. Frankie knew she had to take her in, her men would call her soft. She grabbed Frankie's bag and duffel bag before forcing Frankie out of the trunk and pushed her in front of her. She did however have the courtesy of closing the trunk for her.

"Such a bother." huffed Fontana, bending down to pick up her jacket as they passed it.

She was lead out of the parking garage and Private Jones looked startled at the fact the girl that had saved her prior that day was being forced to walk by Fontana. The older woman opening the back door to a humvee. She pushed Frankie into the back seat before slamming the door close. She snapped her fingers making Jones run for the humvee, climbing into the passenger seat as Fontana's lieutenant climbed in beside Frankie. She reached into her bag as the Lieutenant began driving away.

"I didn't thank you." spoke Jones making Frankie look at her, blinking at her. "For saving me."

"Any sensible person would've saved you." spoke the 20 year old.

"Not any person." responded Fontana as she crossed her legs and took Frankie's camera into her lap. She pursed her lips as she went through the photos, several of them being of Fontana. "I'm deleting this."

"No!" quickly retorted Frankie making the older woman glare at her. "I mean...of just the statue and body bags right?" Fontana just glared at her. "Let me keep the pictures."

A throaty chuckle that sent a spark of heat straight to Frankie's core erupted from Fontana's mouth. "And why would I do that?"

Good question. Why would Fontana let her do that? Her mind wandered to the radio on her hip, Fontana either hadn't seen it yet or didn't see any reason to remove it. That's when her mind wandered to survivors. "I can get information you can't."

The woman looked curious at that. "Explain."

Licking at her dry lips, Frankie shifted in her spot. "I'll work for you. I can get information on and from survivors that anyone in an Obscuris uniform can't with out being shot at. I can find out where the Gas Mask survivors come from."

"She has a point Commander." spoke the Lieutenant.

With a heavy sigh, Fontana placed the camera into Frankie's lap. "When at the army base, you are required to wear an Obscuris uniform. Do you understand?" Frankie nodded eagerly.

The army base was as her father described it when he called her shortly after having to go into hiding as Hank East...like really? Frank West became Hank East, Frankie had never wanted to smack the shit out of her father so bad before. She was given the room directly across from Fontana's, probably so the Commander could keep an eye on her. Jones delivered a uniform to Frankie with a white jacket. She picked it up and looked at it before daring to smell it.

It smelt of cedar and leather, Fontana's jacket. She looked towards the Commander's room to see her strip of the white long sleeve shirt she wore and swore she stared drooling. The woman was muscular underneath it but not so muscular that it messed with her bust size. She had a fucking six pack and she saw the actual muscle definition in her arms with out a stupid shirt in the way.

Frankie looked at her room and moved her cot to the other side of the room to face Fontana's room. She undid her boots and slid on the Obscuris issued boots before sliding Fontana's jacket on. "I'm going out. I'll be back."

"Mm...take a car." spoke Fontana turning to face her, lightly scratching at her stomach as she undid her hair with one hand. It pooling against her shoulders...Frankie never felt so gay in her life. "Be back no later than three in the morning please."

"Right." she squeaked, looking the woman up and down once more before running. A throaty chuckle escaping the Commander.

Fontana's Lieutenant James Caballero gave the keys to a civilian humvee, claiming that it would be her car when working with them so it didn't draw that much attention. She gave him thanks and left. When she arrived at the safe house, it was 12:30am. She parked in front of it and grabbed her back, moving to the passenger seat as zombies began banging against the driver side. She got out and moved as fast as she could through the gates, shutting it behind her.

Stepping into the warm building, she sighed before grunting as Derek hugged her. "You're safe!"

"Yeah kid, I'm safe. Did everyone make it?"

He nodded and lead her over to where the group was downstairs, passing by survivors she didn't know. That was good, people survived and not everyone was zombies. Leona hugged her with Ashe and Lilly, the three bear hugging her at the same time. Darrius hugged her after, pleased with the fact that she was alive before Jeb and Bonnie hugged her, followed by Elise.

"Nice boots." spoke Darrius making her look down.

"We have a slight problem." spoke Frankie making everyone look at her.

They sat down and she ran a hand through her hair. "Fontana fought with me, probably would've killed me if she didn't know who I was. We came to some agreement that I'd work for her in exchange for survivor information such as the Gas Mask Survivors who are attacking everyone that isn't a zombie. The good thing is I heard that they don't bother with Safe Houses, that anyone who makes it to one is to be left alone cause it's less likely they'll leave cause of the supplies. If anyone of you leaves, you gotta be careful. Obscuris is mainly stationed in West Ridge and North Peak but send small strike teams to Old Town and the mall."

Jeb was rubbing at his beard before nodding. "I can see the plus side of this. You could let us know if anything happens."

"I don't know if Fontana will let me have that much knowledge."

Bonnie waved her hand and smiled. "If anything only dad and I will be going out and we can handle ourselves."

The 20 year old nodded and was hugged by Elise, a laugh leaving her. "I know, I know."

The stayed and talked to them for an hour and a half before looking at her watch. It was 2am and she needed to be back in an hour. She hugged everyone and promised to be back. She went to the armory where the survivors had put weapons in. She grabbed her fire axe, one of her students writing Frankie across the handle. She smiled and left the safe house doors.

When she was about to open the gate, Elise ran out. "What's up?"

"Something to eat on the way." She passed the brown paper bag to her.

"Thank you Elise." she smiled, Elise kissed her forehead and went back inside.

She opened the gate and killed a zombie that went at her before climbing into the passenger seat of her humvee and shutting the door. She shifted her body over to the driver seat and started the car. She was driving back to North Peak, going through West Ridge when she heard shouting and came to a stop. She glanced at the clock. 2:28am. She peered out of the windshield and saw a woman running across the gas station parking lot making her swear to herself and spin the wheel as she hit the gas.

There was four fresh zombies running after her...well one after her humvee slammed right into three of them. She threw the door open, tossed Fontana's jacket onto the passenger seat, and slammed it closed as she ran at the fresh zombie. She whistled making it turn it's attention to her, as well as several other zombies. The woman came to a stop, she was wearing a yellow jacket.

The zombie ran at her and she dodged it's hands before using her fire axe to cut it's head off. It hit the ground and rolled towards the woman who kicked it. That was when teeth sank into Frankie's shoulder making her scream in pain and the woman run towards her. She kicked the zombie back, it's teeth ripping her skin before she struck it with her sledge hammer. It's head turning to red paste.

Frankie gasped and put her hand over her shoulder. This was a different strain, she knew that much from how fast they turned. Holy fuck, did that mean she wasn't immune? She freaked out as a sob ripped from her throat. The woman running to her and seeing how scared she was. "Easy. Easy. I'll take care of you when you turn."

' _Oh God no. Please don't turn. I hate Phenotrans, I've hated them for years but please let them have gotten something right._ ' thought Frankie as tears slid down her cheeks.

She saw the confused look on the woman's face before looking at her watch and back at Frankie. "The fuck?" she asked. "Anyone bitten turns in ten seconds."

"Oh thank fuck!" sobbed the young woman nearly falling over but she was caught by the woman. Phenotrans somehow had made her immune to this strain. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

"Are you immune or something?"

Frankie would've answered but so many zombies were being attracted by their voices. "I'll give you a ride to where you're staying. Zombies are coming."

The woman in the yellow jacket nodded and they ran for her humvee. Frankie leaped into the drive seat and moved her stuff so the woman could climb in. She was told the woman, Hammond was her name, was staying in the middle school currently with other survivors. She turned the car around and drove down the road, running over any zombies that got in her way.

Hammond itched at the back of her neck. "So..." she moved the shirt a bit and was amazed to see the would was no longer bleeding. "You're immune."

"Keep that to yourself." she spoke. "I have an issue with people knowing."

"But how...?"

"I was a Phenotrans experiment from the ages of seven to eight until my father rescued me." she spoke. "Somehow they managed to make me immune to this strain and I literally have no idea how." But she was gonna find out when she returned to base.

She pulled into the school parking lot. Hammond got out and thanked her, promising not to tell anyone before waving good bye. Frankie looked at the time and swore. 2:40am. She had twenty minutes to get back. She hit the gas and drove off, not caring what or who got in her way. She pulled up the base with five minutes to spare, thankful there were no speed limits in a zombie outbreak. She was let in and she parked the car.

Frankie looked in the rear view mirror and flinched, her shirt was damp with blood by where she had been bitten. She pulled her top off and opened her backpack, pulling out her Obscuris shirt she had been given and slid it on before slipping Fontana's jacket on and getting out. She was greeted by Jones, she was on guard duty with a few others and was tossed a can of beer from one of them.

Well...there were no legal drinking ages in a zombie outbreak either but she'd drink it later. She went to her room and saw Fontana's door cracked, she peaked inside and saw the woman passed out on her cot. She chuckled and went into her own room, pulling her laptop out of her duffel bag and plugging it in. She dug around until she felt a metal case, pulling it out she saw the Phenotrans logo on it. She pulled the top off and took the USB out of it's spot in the black foam that held certain things and plugged it into her laptop.

She closed the case and stuck it back into her bag. Out of sight, out of mind...she didn't want anyone finding it. She put her middle finger on the mouse touch pad and clicked on her account before opening the USB. She knit her brows together and clicked on the experiment notes.

How did she managed to get a hold of this? Well a month after the Los Perdidos Outbreak, she got the mail to find a package with her name written on it with no return address. Inside, she was greeted with a letter written by Marion Mallon, head of Phenotrans...the woman who experimented on her. She had given her the USB, several physical files, journals that belonged to Mallon herself, and an actual photo album from her time in Phenotrans. She always wondered why she had so many pictures taken of her. That wasn't all, she had gotten a call from her bank that day, stating that a deposit of $1,000,00 from Marian Mallon's bank account had been transferred to Frankie's...yeah she almost passed out.

The woman rubbed at her eyes as she tried to read through them all but science talk hurt her eyes. She huffed and clicked the next file which was a bit more simpler for her.

' _A few months before we obtained young Francesca, we were approached by a doctor who once worked for Doctor. Russell Barnaby, the man who created the strain that happened in Santa Cabeza. She offered to give us the strain in exchange for a short time job. We agreed of course, we already planned on using the strain we got from the zombies in 2006 but she promised this one was slightly different. I cannot remember her name off the top of my head, I'll have to go back through the files and find her name. Lets see if we can make Francesca immune to different strains shall we?_ '

So she was that how she was immune to this virus? Was it even the same virus as the one mentioned? She literally had no idea. She sighed and pulled the USB out before closing her laptop. She sat back against the wall and sighed heavily. She highly doubted she'd come across a file that told her exactly why she was immune to the new strain but a piece of her prayed there was a hidden file on the USB somewhere.

She undid her boots and laid down on the cot, pulling the wool blanket over her and shut her eyes. She exhaled heavily before falling asleep.

Frankie was startled away the moment she heard gun fire going off. She exhaled heavily and looked to the side. It wasn't continuous so she came to the conclusion that some of the soldiers were doing target practice. She rose her right hand to look at her watch, thirteen fucking hours had passed. Why did people keep letting her sleep for twelve hours? She sat up and ran a hand through her hair as she rolled her shoulders.

She pulled her shirt off and moved to the pile of clothes for a fresh Obscuris shirt. "Oh my." spoke a voice making her turn to see Jones standing there, a slight blush across her face. "Sorry, the door was left open and Fontana wanted me to check on you. She tried waking you up for breakfast but you rolled over and remained asleep.

Holy shit this outbreak was taking a lot out of her if she wouldn't wake up when people shook her. She made an exasperated noise before slipping the shirt on. "Why did you say oh my?"

"You're a lot more...muscular than I thought. Your arms I mean." she responded.

"I work out." Frankie answered with a confused look on her face. "Where's Fontana?"

Jones just stared at her for a second before snapping out of whatever stupor she was in. "Uh, she left about three hours ago. She'll be back later tonight. She wanted you to get a tour of the facility, get a side arm, and eat food before you went out and did whatever it is that you do."

The facility was larger than she thought, she remembered her father's description of what he saw and it wasn't this. He only saw a small portion of the facility when he came with his student Vick Chu, a woman she swore she'd punch in the face for leaving her father behind. She was then taken to the armory where she was told to pick.

She ran her fingers across the pistols laid out on the table. She stopped at a .50 Caliber. "You want to use a fifty cal, like Fontana?"

That was right. Fontana did use a .50 Caliber. She shook her head and laid it down, sure they were powerful but if she ran out of ammo while out and about, it was less likely for her to find ammo for it in random places. She picked up a simple pistol and waved it, letting Jones know that was her choice. She motioned for her to follow as Frankie quickly grabbed a thigh holster for her gun.

The two going to where the soldiers got food, a tent set up outside with a portable heater inside of it. She was lead to where a man was cooking up food. He flashed a smile to Frankie before passing her a tray. "You missed breakfast, pretty lady but you're in luck. I choose to make my macaroni salad for lunch today. I did however give you a bit more, I have a feeling you haven't eaten properly since the outbreak happened." he smiled.

Wait...macaroni salad? How in the fucking hell did he get materials for the macaroni salad? Then again the outbreak happened yesterday morning. She smiled back and moved to the rest of the food that was put out, like packets of cake snacks or cookies. She grabbed a can of soda and sat down at an empty table. Jones had wandered off on her own, mainly cause she had to get back to her guard duty. She stabbed some of the pasta and put it into her mouth as she looked around.

Her eyebrows knitted together at the sight of one young man. He had to be between two-five years older than Frankie but he looked oddly familiar. Shrugging, she continued eating her food. Upon fishing her food, she quickly downed her soda and tossed the can away as she at the tray with the other dirty ones. She left the tent quickly while slipping the backpack onto her back and holstering the gun in the holster now sitting on her thigh.

She climbed int her Humvee and exhaled as she started the car, letting it warm up before turning the heat on. She drove out of the compound and was halfway down the road when her radio went off. "Frankie are you there?"

Frankie reached over while doing her best to avoid cars in the road, wrecked or abandoned. She grabbed it and pushed the button down. "Yeah what's up Bon?"

It was silent for a moment or two and she was half tempted to hit the button again. "You know where the bus station is?"

"Yeah?"

The radio went off and she heard gun fire before Bonnie spoke again. "Yeah you might wanna get here like now. Fontana is here with a bunch of Obscuris and well...they're being over run by those Gas Mask wearing freaks. I'm on top of the Church before you ask."

"Why?"

"Recon, nothing major."

"On my way." she stated before pressing harder on the gas.

At the bus station, James was behind a knocked down soda machine with a wounded Fontana beside him. Her hand over her bleeding shoulder as he and three remaining Obscuris fired at Gas Mask Survivors. "We need to get out of here!" shouted James as Fontana's eyes fluttered a little, she was loosing too much blood. "We're boxed in!"

"Alright grab the Commander, we gotta move closer to the door!" shouted one of the soldiers with a riot shield. It was way too shot up though.

James grabbed Fontana by her good arm and lifted her onto her feet as the three other soldiers pushed, firing their guns making the Gas Mask Survivors have to retreat just a few years. They took up position behind a car as they managed to get behind a truck. James watched as one of his soldiers was shot in the head and his body hit the ground as he sat Fontana against the car. He leaned over to shoot at the survivors only to hear his gun click. "Fuck. FUCK!" he shouted a Fontana leaned her head back.

The Gas Mask survivors were moving closer when a gun shot went off and one hit the ground. Frankie, having parked her humvee up the road, came running with her pistol and fire axe. She fired again, striking one hostile in the side making him shout and fire his assault rifle. She fired multiple times, the last bullet in her clip hitting him in the head as she ran to avoid his bullets. "She's just a girl!"

"Sure am." she scoffed to herself as she dug through her bag for firecrackers and pulled her lighter out, she lit it and tossed it over truck. It hit the ground and erupted into loud pops and cracks. She pulled her phone out and opened her phone out, scrolling through her zombie killing playlists as zombies began shuffling towards them. She pressed her thumb against Gone Guru and turned it up all the way before sticking her phone into her back pocket.

"She's attracting zombies!" shouted someone as the last two remaining Obscuris were shot down making James stay beside his commander. He didn't know what to do, he was out of ammo.

Frankie grabbed her fire axe as she holstered her gun and walked around the car. She broke into a run and ducked under a baseball bat before swining her fire axe, severing one hostile's arm before kicking him back into a zombie before twirling to avoid being hit by another hostile. She was moving to her music and mouthing the words as she was practically dancing. "Say cheese!" she shouted throwing her camera up, thumbing the flash on as she hit the capture button before jumping and slamming both feet into the woman's chest and slamming her hard against the truck before Frankie flipped up and jumped out of the way of a zombie's way, the zombie on the gas mask wearing woman in an instant.

The 20 year old shouted as her fire axe was shot out of her hand, blood forming from the small graze on her hand. She ran at the survivor, dodging his gun shots before punching him hard in the face and snatching up a baseball bat off the ground. She swung it so hard that it broke on contact. "Home run!" she shouted before jumping over the truck's hood and avoiding the zombie that was coming at her, it latching on him. She almost landed on Fontana, barely managing to regain her posture.

She kicked the riot shield up and caught it before blocking a round of gun fire. She ran and grabbed the fallen nailed bat from one of the other survivors. She leaped and struck one gas mask wearing asshole with the riot shield before spinning around and leaping again and swinging the nailed bat, it striking another in the face. She looked at the remaining hostile survivor and smirked.

Frankie ran at him and rammed hard into him, throwing him backwards into a group of waiting zombies. She grabbed her phone and turned her music off before sprinting over to James and Fontana. "Stay here. I'm going to go get my humvee!" She passed him the shield and took off running.

She threw herself into the driver's seat of her Humvee and threw it into drive before going to the bus station. She rammed down a few zombies before parking directly next to the truck. Climbing out, she moved to Fontana. "Drive Lieutenant! I know some first aide!" he nodded and ran to the driver's seat as she pulled the Commander up, helping her climb in and kicking a zombie back that went at her. She climbed into Fontana's lap before slamming the door closed, James throwing the Humvee into reverse as Frankie climbed into the open trunk to find the first aide.

"How is she?" asked James.

Frankie looked and saw Fontana's head fall a bit to the side as if she was loosing the battle against sleep. "Hey!" that made the Commander jump. "Commander I need you to talk to me!"

Fontana inhaled deeply as her head rested against the headrest. "What was that song?"

"Gone Guru." she answered tossing the med kit into the backseat before climbing back over. "My dad said a group of escaped prisoners had it blaring from the humvee they stole during the first Willamette outbreak."

She ripped at Fontana's shirt, thankfully it wasn't so cold out that she thought to wear a jacket...that or she left it behind at the bus station. She tossed the fabric aside and hissed as she saw the bullet wound, she leaned the woman forward and saw an exit wound. Frankie opened the first aide kit and slid into Fontana's lap. She pulled tweezers out and began to pick at the bits of fabric in her wound only to be hit in the side of the head making her flinch and catch Fontana's hand.

"Stop. It'll get infected if I don't remove the fabric." Her hand tried to pull away making Frankie quickly lace their fingers together. "Stop. I need to do this."

Fontana just stared at her before nodding. She pulled the bloody pieces of cloth out of her wound before splashing rubbing alcohol on her hands as Fontana's hand had moved to her hand to Frankie's hip. She places some gauze to both sides of the exit wound and wrapped bandages around her shoulder. She felt the hand squeeze her hip hard, hard enough that she knew she'd have bruises come the next morning.

The strawberry blonde looked at her as she shifted in Fontana's lap, putting the items away. "You're beautiful." Frankie looked at her in surprise.

"That's the blood loss talking." smiled the 20 year old. "We're almost back. Blackburne will take care of you but thank you. You're beautiful too Commander."

A small laugh escaped the older woman's mouth before her eyes rolled back making Frankie sit straight up. "Lieutenant!"

"We're pulling up now!" he said.

The door was thrown open after he parked, several soldiers standing there with a stretcher and Blackburne. One helped Frankie get out with out falling and they lifted Fontana out and onto the stretcher. Blackburne and a few soldiers running the stretcher into the building as Frankie touched her shoulder where she was bitten the previous night. She walked into the building and passed the room where Blackburne was working on Fontana. She went into her room, once getting to the second floor, and pulled her top off after tossing her jacket on the bed. The bite looked like a scar, as if she had it for a few years.

She stared at the mirror above the sink in her room, odd but whatever, and glared at herself. "Francesca." said a Blackburne's voice making her turn to look at her. "Fontana is fine, you did a good job cleaning the wound. She needed a little blood but I pulled a packet out of the blood bank Obscuris has. You saved me a lot of work by cleaning the wound. The men mentioned you were in Los Perdidos, so you learned to do that there?"

"I disinfected a zombie bite or two." she stated turning and she saw Blackburne's eyes run over her before settling on each bite mark and the surgical like scars on her sides.

The older woman opened her mouth before closing it as she stared at the scars on her sides. "Want to see her? I mean you'll have to put a shirt on."

Frankie nodded and grabbed a clean shirt, mainly cause splattered blood was on the one she was previous wearing. She slid it on and followed the doctor out of the room and to where the make shift clinic was set up. She sat Fontana laying on the clot with a blood bag hooked up to her. She knelt beside the bed and ran a hand through Fontana's hair with a smile.

Blackburne let her stay in there, she got her laptop and sat against the cot as she planned on staying with Fontana until she woke up. She'd be lying if she said she didn't feel anything for Fontana but she wasn't exactly brave enough to tell her. She was brace enough to fight off gas mask wearing freaks and a shit ton of zombies but telling someone she had feelings for them she was afraid. Frankie was looking through her photos, flicking through random photos and stopping on one of herself with her ex girlfriend.

"Who is she?" asked a sleep filled voice as a hand pressed against her head. She looked and saw Fontana, she had rolled onto her side and was looking.

Looking back at her computer, she scoffed and closed the photos out and put her laptop into sleep mode. "Ex girlfriend." was all Frankie said as she turned to look at Fontana. "How are you feeling?"

"How long were you two together?"

Okay, Fontana was dodging her questions with questions. "Freshmen year of high school to senior. You didn't answer my question."

The strawberry blonde pursed her lips. "I'm sore. Why did you break up?"

Huffing, the 20 year old looked at Fontana but the woman made a face at her. "Fine. We broke up cause her parents believed I was a paranoid nut job, all because I was prepared in case of a zombie outbreak. Broke up with me a week before prom." Fontana looked mad, why was she mad? "Still went together but it ended with the both of us fighting the moment she brought up her parents' opinion on me. Her father showed up, punched me for making her cry and he was tasered by my mother's girlfriend. So all in all...it was a pretty eventful prom."

Fontana shook her head and sneered. "Does she know what happened to you in Los Perdidos?"

"Yup and her parents said it was just a fluke. So..." She knit her brows together and looked at her phone which sat off to the side. "No outgoing right?" Fontana shook her head. She picked up her phone and opened up her Instagram. She saw several likes and a few notifications that someone commented. She opened up the notifications and saw Mason_Kristina had commented on a photo. She opened it and snorted with laughter making Fontana look.

"What's funny?"

The 20 year old shook her head as she calmed herself down. "My student Darrius took pictures on Black Friday and caught a picture of me with you. My ex follows me on Instagram..." Fontana knit her brows together. "Social media?"

"I am aware as too what Instagram is, some of my soldiers have it and have been bugging me to make and account."

Frankie smirked as she thought of random names for Fontana's Instagram before shaking her head. "Well before you cut all outgoing stuff, she commented on the photo of you and I." Fontana snapped her fingers and held her phone out making Frankie pass it to her.

She used her thumb to scroll down, there was more than one comment.

_LawyerWest: Well shit...she's cute._

_Real_Life_Lois_Lane: The fuck Rayne?_

_LawyerWest: I love you so shut up and agree she's cute._

_Real_Life_Lois_Lane: I love you too and yeah she's cute._

_Mason_Kristina: Who the fuck is she?_

_Real_Life_Lois_Lane: SOMEONE'S JEALOUS!_

_Manson_Kristina: I'm not jealous._

_Darrius.Photography: Aren't you the same Kristina that broke up with Miss. West?_

_LawyerWest: She is._

_Darrius.Photograpy: Well shit...every time something goes wrong in class, she blames Kris. It's a running joke in the class._

_Manson_Kristina:.....fucking great....._

The strawberry blonde snorted with laughter before groaning and rolling her shoulder gently. "I should give you and this Darrius ability to post photos. Would love to make this bitch jealous. You know what...get me the flash drive out of my pants pocket."

"You reach into your pants pocket." she quickly retorted with her cheeks turning red.

"I won't bite."

Frankie muttered to herself and reached into one of her pants pockets, nothing. She checked the other and found the flash drive, pulling it out and passing it to the Commander. She older woman bit the cap off and stuck it into the charger port. A program came up and she typed her password in. The words ' _Give access?_ ' popped up and she hit the yes button. Once it disappeared, she pulled the flash drive out and passed the phone back to the young girl.

She looked at her phone curiously before looking at the Commander. "You can't make outgoing calls or receive incoming but I made it too where you can use your social medias."

"If I take videos or pictures, it'll be outed that there's an outbreak."

Pursing her lips, the strawberry blonde shook her head. "I don't care. We were paid in advanced plus I'm sure someone is smart enough to work around the program, someone could've hacked their way passed it."

Frankie opened up her Instagram and hit the button to add a new photo or video but instead of library, she hit the video option and held her thumb down on it after turning it towards herself. "Mom." she managed making Fontana look. "Mom I'm fine. Don't ask questions about how I'm able to do this but I'm fine." She saw Fontana in the video and smirked. "Her not so much."

"I was shot!" she retorted making Frankie laugh.

"I love you and Piper. If you talk to dad, tell him I love him too." she responded before letting the button go.

She sat against the cot as she tagged both her mother and future step mother into the video. "What's your name on Instagram?"

Frankie inhaled deeply before responding. "Lady unscore West. Don't ask. It was original Frankie West Photography, all one word but I didn't want it to be JUST photography."

Fontana sat up, hissing at the pain in her shoulder making Frankie move and prop up the pillows behind her back. "Alright say I got an Instagram. What would you name me?"

"Strawberry Fontana."

"That sounds like Strawberry Banana." drawled the older woman.

The giggle that came from the young girl made her heart hammer. "Yes." She knelt beside the cot as she stared at the older woman. "You've got strawberry blonde hair. If you got it, it's gotta be something about you. My mom's a lawyer..."

"Lawyer West. All one word." stated Fontana making Frankie nod. "And this real life Lois Lane, with all the underscores, I take it she's a reporter and she's making a reference to a comic book character."

"My mom's wife, yeah."

Fontana ran a hand through Frankie's hair and huffed. "I'll think about it. Do me a favor and report to the Lieutenant that he needs to come see me before sending people out on missions. I need to okay them first."

Frankie nodded and stood up, dusting her jeans off before leaving with her laptop to go and do as requested. The strawberry blonde grabbed her phone off the night stand and stared at it before opening up the app store and searching for Instagram. She shook her head with a small laugh as she hit the download button and relaxed against her pillows.

TBC....


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun Fact (I guess lol): The No Glory - Star Wars: The Old Republic [GMV] video in Frankie's Play List (which the link is in the notes of the first chapter) is actually what I wrote the mall scene from chapter 1 too and by mall scene I mean the outbreak.
> 
> Also Fontana is, I believe, in her early forties but I made her younger, I gave her and Frankie the same age difference as my aunt and uncle. I was originally going to make her 30 but 30 seemed young for Fontana so...she's 35 lol.

_“Phenotrans was and will always be something she bares a deep hatred for. Even after their downfall she fears them, she has nightmares…she’s afraid they’ll come back for her.” - Piper Jones_

It had been all of maybe fifteen hours since Fontana had her conversation with Frankie, from what James told her, Frankie had gone back out into town and spent some hours inside the mall. Frankie never told anyone why but when she came back, she had some medical supplies for herself since Blackburne didn't need any of it. The Commander spent twelve of those hours in bed, Blackburne's orders, but while waiting she dealt with her Instagram. Yes, she caved cause of Frankie and got herself an Instagram. James screenshooted and then edited the photo of Frankie and Fontana in the Mall's food court to use as her account photo.

She just reposted the photo while mentioning that Frankie's student took the picture and she followed Frankie. She spent an entire hour scrolling through Frankie's posts, liking at least forty photos by the time the hour was over. Come morning, Blackburne wrapped up her wound and sent her on her way while telling her not to over work herself.

Walking outside, Fontana exhaled and tilted her head back. Her breath forming in the cold winter air before dispersing. She had checked Frankie's room while on her way out and saw the bed was empty but Fontana's jacket was laying on the bed so it indicated that Frankie hadn't left the compound. She headed towards the tent where they cooked all their food. She stepped in and saw Frankie sitting by herself with her side against the tent. She tilted her head and took the plate held out by the cook.

"She's been alone since she got here. James sat with her for a while but got called away about five minutes after sitting with her."

Fontana sighed and walked over to the table, setting her food down and sitting down. "You alright?"

"Mm..."

"Francesca?"

She pried her eyes away from her smart phone to look at Fontana. "You okay?" She nodded making the strawberry blonde raise a brow as she sat down. "You look..."

"One of your soldiers threatened me but I'm fine." she responded. "Also Kris commented on my video." The older woman looked confused as she put a fork full of hash browns into her mouth. "Uh Mason underscore Kristina. My ex." Fontana made a hand motion, telling her to continue. "Reading her comment. Who in the hell is that woman? Why in the hell are you with her? She's like twenty-five years older than you."

Fontana nearly choked on her food. "I'm thirty-five."

Frankie hit reply and typed in 'She's fifteen years older than me. Shut up and why do you care?'

The cook walked over and placed a cup of black coffee down in front of Fontana, the young woman groaned in what almost sounded like pleasure as he sat a can of soda in front of Frankie. Frankie took her phone into her hand and opened her camera before taking a picture of Fontana as she sipped her coffee.

"She drinks it black...like her soul!" she dramatically said making Fontana smirk as the cook busted out laughing. "That's my caption for this photo."

"And what is your soul?"

Frankie opened her posts and scrolled through her photos for a bit before showing her a drink from a coffee shop near her mother's apartment building. "It's called a Rainbow Galaxy drink." not only was it of the drink but it was of Frankie with the straw in her mouth and a pair of reading glasses on her face.

"How did I miss that one?" whispered Fontana taking her phone out making Frankie smirk. "I got Instagram alright?"

The 20 year old just smiled and nodded. "I'm aware. A Fontana underscore Commander followed me sometime this morning. Interesting name by the way."

The strawberry blonde shrugged. "Shut up...I sure as shit wasn't using Strawberry Fontana."

Frankie just smirked and put a piece of bacon into her mouth. "Strawberry Fontana still sounds fucking amazing."

"You're a child." scoffed Fontana as she hit the heart bellow the picture Frankie just showed her before pocketing her phone away.

The young woman just cooed at the insult and took a sip of her soda. She was half tempted to say the name even sounded delicious but she didn't need to make it sound sexual. "I'm gonna go out into Old Town once I finish breakfast. I heard there's like a museum of sorts that have events from the first outbreak there. I wanna see it."

"Just be back by dark or rather meet me at City Hall by dark, I'm going in a few." responded Fontana as she took another sip of her coffee and released a small moan. "Fucking hell, I'm glad I stocked up on coffee before the outbreak."

"Fontana with out her coffee isn't a Fontana you wanna cross." laughed one of the soldiers from the table next to theirs. "Remember that new girl!"

With a nod, the young woman downed the rest of her breakfast and her soda. She stood up and tied her hair back into a high ponytail before sliding on the jacket Fontana gave her, it was Frankie's now no matter what and Fontana knew that, she had new jacket now anyways. She got an extra soda from the cook and waved to Fontana as she exited the tent, fully aware of the glares she received from one of the soldiers at the table next to Fontana. She just ignored them.

She climbed into her Humvee and sat in the driver seat as she pulled a wrinkled and folded news article out of her right front pocket of her jeans. She unfolded it and saw Marian Mallon looking back at her, beside her was Isabela Keyes and on the other side of her was a man that the soldier eyeballing her looked identical too. She sighed and folded it back up before placing it back into her pocket, no wasn't a time to worry. She put the key into the ignition and started the vehicle before heading for the gate.

She got to the Old Town Shelter in fifteen minutes, parking just outside of it before climbing out the passenger side with her bag. She slid through the gates and made her way inside of the building. Darrius was up with Jeb, going over the scavenging plan. "Ya know I heard the mall is still pretty full." she added making Darris jump before laughing and hugging his teacher. "I'm checking out the museum by the way. My father's main weapon is suppose to be there, I wanna see if someone's taken it."

"I'll go with you." stated Bonnie walking up to her while rubbing her eyes and stretching.

"Coffee." stated her father holding out a paper cup of black coffee.

"Like her soul..." whispered Frankie with a smile.

"Hm?" asked Jeb.

Frankie shook her head and smiled. "I've got until dark, Fontana doesn't know what I'm doing aside from the museum."

Bonnie downed her coffee and quickly ran a brush through her hair before putting her hat on. "Alright lets go."

Jeb kissed her cheek as Frankie walked out of the building with Bonnie behind her. the two crossed the road, killing any zombies that got in their way. Bonnie wasn't wasting any ammo for her revolvers so she was using a baseball bat that was wrapped up in actual functioning Christmas lights, it was most likely Darrius that put it together, he was handy like that. She looked up and scrunched her face up, she was wrong. It was Willamette Gazette and Historical Society, not just a museum. The door was ajar making her lightly push it open and look around.

There were some zombie shambling around but they didn't seem to notice them. They entered the building and shut the door behind them. She saw the weapon she mentioned before and approached the bat with barbed wire wrapped around it. There was two actually, she needed to change her melee weapon...the fire axe was killing her arm.

She slid her hand across the plaque and tilted her head. "Superheros and monsters once seemed like the stuff of comic books, but the outbreak of two thousand six produced both." she read making Bonnie stand beside her. "Journalist Frank West used his wits to survive the outbreak and expose the perpetrators. Activity: Look around you, in an outbreak, what would you use as a weapon." Bonnie snorted as Frankie sat her fire axe against the wall, dried blood on the head of it with blood stains on the handle. She grasped the bat in her hand and looked at it. "It'd use my Frankie West specialty."

"Your what?"

Turning to the woman, she smiled. "Similar to this but with saw blades hammered into it. I wanted to name it after my dad but he refused to let me. It was my creativity that made it." She took the second bat down and stuck it into the bag, an empty one that Darrius gave her while holding onto her previous bag, and zipped the bag up around it. "I need to go to a hardware store."

They two left, Bonnie grabbing the copy of Frank's book, and started making their way down the street. Frankie twirled the bat in her hand as she approached a zombie. The zombie snarled at her once catching sight of her and she swung the bat. It connected with it's face, the barbed wire cutting deep into it's cheek as it was thrown to the side from the force of her swing. She looked at the bat, bits of flesh hanging from the barbed wire. She let out a breathy laugh, now she knew why her dad used it so much. It wasn't heavy or hurt her arms, the axe was getting too heavy after a few swings. 

"Wait till I get the blades in there." she smirked as she swung it again, it didn't connect with anything this time, she was just swinging to swing.

They were approaching the City hall when she stopped as she saw Fontana stepping out of the car making Frankie stop Bonnie. She nodded and they cut through an alley to avoid being seen, all Fontana saw when she looked that direction was Bonnie. They took the alley all the way until they reached one building that was across the street from Big Buck's Hardware...she knew her father would make some weird joke about it. They crossed the street, avoiding zombies so the fighting wouldn't draw the attention of Obscuris. She moved over to the gloves and took down a pair of heavy duty ones, then got a pair of pliers, some extra barbed wire (which she stored away in a box), a box of saw blades for a power saw, and a box of nails. She'd test with the nails as well, she tried it last time but the back cracked back in Los Perdidos. She took a box of tools and watched as Bonnie pulled down a crowbar, she tested the swing before smiling.

The two walked down the road, side stepping zombies as if they were just normal people who weren't trying to eat them. They quickly run across the street so Obscuris didn't notice them or if they did, all they saw was two women and not their faces.

"You alright?" asked Bonnie as they stepped into the gate of the safe house.

"Um...no." she stated making the cowgirl look worried. "Can you get everyone and by everyone I mean those that came here with you. Meet me on the roof?"

Bonnie nodded as Frankie went to the stairs the went upstairs, she cut through what was probably a security room and out onto the roof. She sat her things down and undid her hair, running her left hand through it with an exhale as her head tilted back. She heard movement and turned to see Derek running at her, she caught him in a hug and laughed as she rubbed at his head. Darrius came up with the others and Jeb was the last one win, shutting the door and placing his back to it so if anyone tried, they couldn't spy on them.

"What's up?" asked Leona walking up to Frankie and looking worried.

She looked at the hem of her shirt before looking at Derek. "Uh...I need to take my shirt off."

"He watches porn." stated Darrius as he bit into the apple he had with him.

"I'm not showing my tits, I'll be in a bra." she huffed.

Frankie shrugged her jacket off and sat it down on her bag before pulling the Obscuris top off. She watched as her friends and students took in the sight of surgical scars on her sides, bite marks on her shoulders. "You got the bites in Los Perdidos?" asked Ashe as she held Lily around the waist.

She said nothing and look down. "No, she didn't." answered Lily before Frankie could.

"Yeah so..." she clasped her hands together, ignoring the bitter cold that beat against her exposed skin. "I've got a story to tell."

Frankie went into depth about how she was taken by Phenotrans as she put her shirt back on, even going as far as to explain how she and her mother got into the argument that lead to her mother threatening to send Frankie to live with her father and then Frankie running away. She explained how Piper, having gone after Frankie, ran after the van that took Frankie into the back for at least four blocks. Explained how she the experiments and the reason behind it, explained how Isabela Keyes looked after her. She explained everything leading up to the events that involved pens of zombies being released into a Phenotrans Facility that no longer stood to this day.

Daryl, one of her students, waved his hand making Frankie stop talking. "Wait so that's why you pale when you hear the mention of Phenotrans?"

Frankie pursed her lips and nodded. "In Los Perdidos, Marian Mallon was there helping a Government General. Do you know how hard it was for me to exist in a zombie outbreak where Phenotrans mercenaries were most likely showed my face in case I was there?" She slid her hand across her shoulder, her thumb touching the scar she recollected about the day before Thanksgiving break, the last bite she received at the Phenotrans facility. "I got bit...was it yesterday? Early yesterday morning? Yeah that sounds about right, I could be wrong by a day but I'm like positive it was two something in the morning yesterday. I saw a woman being chased by the running zombies and stopped to help her, when helping her I was bit."

"Where?" interjected Elise.

"My right shoulder." she whispered making Elise move to her quickly. She slid her hand under the neck line and pushed it to the side to see a few bite marks. "Uh, it's the one closest to my neck." She felt Elise brush her thumb across the scar.

Everyone was either talking among themselves or saying nothing at all. "Why keep it from us?" asked Jeb.

"Cause I've been living in fear since I was eight." she whispered loud enough for everyone to hear.

Elise's arms wrapped around her in a very motherly way, she could just tell that it was motherly love that radiated from the older woman as tears slid down Frankie's face, she was silently crying. "That's twelve years of fear." stated Bonnie walking up and Frankie nodded. She hugged Frankie and the 20 year old laughed as she was tuck between two women.

Once they released her, Leona nearly rammed into her as she hugged Frankie close. She ran a hand through Leona's hair and smiled as she rubbed at her back. She didn't expect everyone to hug her, even Jeb hugged her but he always hugged her.

She spent the rest the day time with Bonnie or Jeb, she did hit Tetro's Comics and Collectibles while she was out. Found herself a Crimson Viper t-shirt and even a costume in her size...she always did like that character. Why not indulge a little and get something she always wanted. Regardless to the fact she had a shit ton of money in her bank account, she wasn't going to pay the four hundred bucks the comic store was asking for. Bonnie, who wanted to go there too, said she laughed like a super villain when she stuffed the packaged costume into her bag. She took a a fruit flavored drink named Health Potion before leaving with the cowgirl. They went their own way when returning to the safe house, the sun was close to setting and she needed to meet Fontana at the City Hall Archives.

Frankie put all her goodies in the backseat before climbing into the front seat, her bat resting against the middle as it stood up off the floor from the passenger side. She drove to the City Hall, not caring if she ran over a good chunk of zombies in the process. She would need to clean it at some point. She parked by the other humvees, Obscuris was patrolling the perimeter, shooting zombies. The young woman climbed out and walked up the stairs to where Fontana was. The strawberry blonde looked at Frankie before instructing James to do something, the man leaving the two alone.

"Have fun?"

"I killed a few gas mask survivors." she lied with a straight face. "It was okay. Got a new weapon and some supplies to make it better."

The 35 year old nodded. "I'm riding with you. James needs to stay behind and oversee some things and I can't drive with my arm being a piece of crap."

"Okay." responded Frankie as she smoothed her shirt out.

Fontana grabbed her stuff before following Frankie to her car. The younger woman moving the bat into the backseat before the older woman climbed in and exhaled heavily, relaxing into the seat and letting her head rest against the headrest. The 20 year old was tempted to tell the Commander to put her seat belt on but shook her head and put the car into drive. She put her left earbud into her ear and hit a button on her phone to play some music, mouthing the words as she drove back to base as Fontana closed her eyes and tried to get a small nap.

The strawberry blonde was awoken when she felt someone twitch beside and looked to see Frankie. Her right hand rubbing at her left shoulder as she steered. Inhaling deeply, she looked at the clock and saw she had only been asleep for fifteen minutes. "Shoulder bothering you?" she asked as she stretched her legs to the best of her ability.

"Mm...what? Oh, no." she responded.

That sounded like a lie but Fontana didn't push it. The girl had taken her ear bud out at some point during her small nap. The gate opened for them once they pulled up and Frankie drove in, the gate closing and actually trapping a zombie in place. Obscuris soldiers had to force it shut and then toss the severed arm out over the wall...they missed a few times and Fontana wasn't happy with blood stains on the wall. 

"I'm gonna go get my shoulder checked, you get some dinner in you." ordered the Commander making Frankie nod.

Making her way to the tent, she approached the cook who smiled at her. He passed a plate of food along with a can of soda. She mouthed a thank you and went to the table she sat at in the morning. She kept to herself as she ate what looked and tasted like chili mac and cheese. She opened up the can of soda as she pulled her phone out of her pocket. She went to Instagram and saw her mother had commented on the video, telling her that she and Piper loved her and they didn't care if she could only communicate through one minute videos. She did notice how Rayne and Piper, as well as her students, were ignoring the fact Kris was asking why Frankie was having a hard time communicating.

Frankie pulled up her playlist and played the song The Nexus by Amaranthe low enough that she could hear it. She saw a tray be placed down and saw Jones, the woman's first name being Cristina but everyone just addressed her as Jones. She ran a hand through her hair and huffed before eating her food. The two sat there in silence, aside from the music coming from the phone. They sat like there until the song finished and went to the next song, You Will Know My Name by Arch Enemy, when Jones decided to speak. "Hows your runs been going?"

"Fine." she stated.

Jones nodded. "I thought your right shoulder only had two bite scars?" The younger woman stopped mid bite. "I saw you changing your shirt this morning. I swear I'm not peaking but when I saw you shirt less before, you had one on your left shoulder and two on your right but...there was three on the right this morning."

"No there wasn't." she quickly responded, a bit too quickly for Jones' taste. "T-There was always three."

"This one looked like a month old scar where the others looked like you've had them for about twelve years." Okay, that was way too accurate. 

Jones put a forkful of food into her mouth, chewing it as she watched the 20 year old battle internally with something. She rose an eyebrow as Frankie sat her fork down, never raising her head. "Who have you been talking too?"

"No one."

"What did he say?" she stressed out looking at the man at the other table, laughing with his friends.

Okay now Jones was confused. "All hes been saying is we need to kick the civilian out of Obscuris before she gets someone killed."

Frankie grit her teeth together in anger. Jones was nice, she didn't have to help Frankie back in the mall when she tried to save Jones and the others but she did. She didn't have to try and stop Obscuris from shooting her but she did. She should've realized if anyone saw her topless, they'd see the scars and if there were any new ones than...they would stand out. "Are you done tonight? Work I mean."

"No. I've got to go to the nearby gas station and stock up on some gas. Why?"

Licking her lips, Frankie nodded. "I'll come with you." Jones opened her mouth to say something but the 20 year old held her hand up. "I can explain out there. Not in here. The walls have ears..."

The two finished up their food, Frankie turning off the music and pocketing her phone as she followed the Obscuris Soldier to the Humvee she was given to get the gas. Several empty gas containers in the open and exposed trunk. She climbed into the passenger seat with the baseball bat she had gotten earlier. She didn't have time to edit it yet and she'd work on it during the night. They drove up to the gas station, it literally being down the road. She got out and smacked a zombie right across the face with the bat as Jones got to filling a container.

Once the first one was full, sealed, and then placed into the truck, Jones figured Frankie wasn't going to tell her. "I feel like I'm constantly repeating myself." spoke Frankie before moving and hitting a zombie's head like a baseball had been thrown at her, the zombie sprawling onto the ground with it's head busted open. "I told some random woman I saved, I told my students and friends..." Jones stood straight up as she twisted the cap onto the second container. "Short or long version?"

"Short."

"I'm immune." she quickly responded kicking a fresh zombie back and slamming the baseball bat into his head twice before he went limp, flecks of blood splattered on her face and shirt. It wasn't entirely cold out tonight, so she left her (still Fontana's) jacket in the car. A long sleeve shirt was good enough. She took a deep breathe and went further into detail, explaining everything that she had to her students and friends but in the shorter version.

Jones just stared at her. The girl seemed so bothered in the tent and now she sort of understood why. "Wait...this strain is different. Blackburne confirmed that. She said it was Doctor Barnaby's research."

It took the young woman a moment to realize what Jones had said. "How would she know that?"

"She used to work for him."

The black haired, green eyed woman stopped beating a zombie to a pulp upon hearing those six words. "We were approached by a doctor who once worked for Doctor. Russell Barnaby, the man who created the strain that happened in Santa Cabeza. She offered to give us the strain in exchange for a short time job." she whispered. Her head snapped up, blood dripping down her face from killing zombies. "That bitch!"

That caught the attention of the nearby zombies and Jones jumped, spilling some gas in the process. She was on her last canister and quickly screwed the cap on as Frankie swung the bat harder, it ripping at a zombie's cheek as she screamed. "F-Frankie calm down!"

Before she could even try to stop Frankie, the girl's arm fell at her side and she tilted her head back as she fell to her knees. "Why me? Twelve years of living in fear of Phenotrans. Twelve years of worrying that if I so much as showed my face on TV, they'd find me and take me away. Afraid if I became too famous as a photographer, they'd come for me."

Jones quickly put the last canister in the trunk and secured them, shooting a zombie in the head that went at Frankie. She didn't know whether or not to be worried that Frankie didn't even flinch at the sudden gunshot. "Come on." she whispered helping Frankie onto her feet and opening her side so the girl could climb in. She shot two more zombies as she rounded the front of the car and climbed into the driver seat. "Thank you." That snapped Frankie out of whatever trance she was in and she looekd at Jones. "For telling me. For...trusting me."

Frankie swallowed and sat the bloody baseball bat between her legs, the barbed wire part with flesh stuck it it pressed against the floor. "Don't tell Fontana. Please."

The soldier knew she should report it to Fontana but doing that would betray the young woman's trust. "Okay. Just don't come running to me if she finds out and wants to put you in a choke hold for withholding that information." That caused a laugh to escape Frankie as she rubbed at her face, smearing the blood a bit before huffing.

"I'll tell her when I can find the right time." she whispered making Jones nod.

They got back to base and Frankie helped Jones unload the canisters before making her way back to her room. She needed, no...she wanted some sleep. She passed by the med-bay and heard her name being called. Not Frankie, she heard Francesca and she snarled a little. She turned and entered the medbay to see Fontana on the cot. She had changed into a tank top, most likely cause Blackburne needed access to the wound.

"Why are you bloody?"

She wasn't THAT bloody. "Went with Jones on her mission to get more gas. Wanted to cover her back. Zombies got in the way."

Fontana nodded and pursed her lips as Blackburne put a piece of gauze over the stitches and wrapped bandages around the shoulder. "Do you need me to examine her?"

"I'm fine. I just need some sleep." she whispered making her Commander nod before motioning for her to leave.

Frankie went to her room and sat on her cot. Sure she needed to sleep but first she'd take care of her baseball bat. She lightly hammered the saw blades into the side, four saw blades in total before doing the nails, sure the sharp ends wouldn't be out in the open but she was positive the flat heads could do damage with enough force. She put everything away, leaned the baseball bat against the wall and a container, and laid down on the cot to get some sleep.

She slept like a fucking rock until the walkie talkie on the makeshift nightstand went off making her jump. "Frankie!" said Darrius' voice making her eyebrows knit together. 

She grabbed the walkie talkie and pushed the button down. "Darrius? What's up?"

"Leona! Leona's parents took Leona!"

It took her a moment to process what had just been said. "What?! HOW?!"

Frankie sat up and ran a hand through her hair. "Leona's parents showed up and were all happy to see her alive. Bonnie thought it was weird and even stated it, claiming how could they be so happy to see her when they basically disowned her for being gay. Then Leona's father attempted to shoot Bonnie but I guess being a cowgirl means she has like super reflexes cause she dodged it but while dodging it, Leona's mother had basically dragged their daughter out of the safe house. Bonnie ran after them but they had a car."

"Where's Bonnie?"

"On my own walkie." responded the woman's voice. "I'm in the mall. They took her to Kiichiro Plaza, her parents are like buddies with the gas mask wearing survivors. I'm hiding in the back room of the Robsaka Digital store. I can't take them on myself."

"I'm coming." she responded before leaping out of her bed and grabbing her phone, bag, baseball bat, and her jacket.

She raced down the stairs and outside. She opened her Humvee passenger door and tossed her stuff onto the seat before closing it. She was about to open the driver seat when she looked towards the tent where everyone ate. Fontana was sitting there eating with James, going over what looked like plans but Jones was eating as well. She ran towards the tent, snatching up two cans of soda as she approached Jones.

"Hey Frankie..."

"I need your gun." she stated making Jones look at her with confusion.

"I'm sorry what?"

"I need your gun!" she said a bit too loud making people look at her.

Jones just rose an eyebrow but passed her the gun. Frankie snatching it up and running to her Humvee as Fontana stood up. "Francesca!"

"I'll be back!"

The 20 year old got into the driver seat and threw the car into reverse before spinning the car around and leaving the compound. Frankie rolled her window down with her free hand before opening up the can of soda, taking a long drink and then dumping the rest of the contents out of the window. She reached into her bag and pulled a baggy of small fireworks out and did the best she could to break them open and pour the contents into the can while putting some nails she had on her into the cane between pours. She took the fuse and wiggled it into the can before using her mouth and free hand to rip a piece of duct tape off the roll she had in her bag, she ripped a small piece off and put it over the hole but making sure that the fuse could light the contents easily. She sat it aside and repeated it with the second can.

Frankie parked the car in the parking garage of the mall and climbed out, switching the mic over to the frequency that Obscuris used. Just in case she needed help. She climbed out and looked at Fontana's jacket, no...she should but she couldn't risk damaging it. She closed the door and moved to her SUV, unlocking it and reaching inside to grab her own jacket. She slid it on while tugging the sleeves up to her elbows and places the cans into each pocket before running. She dodged zombies and gas mask wearing survivors as she ran for Robsaka Digital. She ran into the store, seeing hostile survivors in the plaza. She opened the door and was face to face with a gun making Bonnie sigh.

"Could've knocked." she huffed.

Frankie shrugged. "Alright I'll talk to them." she stated putting Jones' pistol into the back of her pants. "If things go sideways, come out shooting." Bonnie nodded and followed her out of the store but Bonnie hung back as Frankie slowly entered Kiichiro Plaza.

"Stop right there!" shouted Mr. Lincoln making Frankie stop. "We should've expected you to come after her."

The young woman slowly turned, her hands held up to show she was unarmed. Her baseball bat was on her back nestled between her back and backpack. "Easy there Mr. Lincoln."

He aimed his gun at her making her swallow. "You turned our daughter gay." he stressed out as Mrs. Lincoln held her gun to Leona's head, the girl looked like she was crying and it made Frankie grit her teeth together.

Frankie shook her head. "It doesn't work like that." she managed making Bonnie pull out her walkie and look at the dial to switch the frequencies. She turned it from 5 to 7 before pressing the button. "Someone doesn't become gay because their teacher is gay. I don't give off gay cooties."

The hammer was pulled back making her jump at the sight. "She was straight until she met you."

"It doesn't FUCKING work that way!" she roared. He fired and she yelped as the bullet struck the floor between her feet. "I don't care how religious you are. How fucking stupid are! It doesn't work that way! If you kill me you're taking a woman's daughter from her! I didn't survive Los Perdidos to be gunned down by a pair of bigots!"

She twitched a little as flashes from Phenotrans raced through her head. Images of Marian Mallon being killed by General Hemlock. She wondered even months later, could she have saved her? Regret. That's what she felt. Why did she feel regret for a woman who had no problem hurting her. "Bigots?" snarled out Mr. Lincoln as Frankie's eyes looked everywhere. "Is that what you think we are? Cause we think our daughter is corrupt?"

Frankie looked up at him. "I'm not afraid of you." she stated making him fire at her again but she side stepped it, the bullet hitting where her left leg had previous been. "I wan't afraid of the scariest people in Los Perdidos!" Lies. "Why would I be afraid of you?!" More lies...she was terrified. For her own well being as well as Leona's.

"Move again and I'll shoot her!" threatened Mrs. Lincoln making Frankie's eyes widen. "Either we cleanse her by getting rid of the source or we kill her."

"You'd take a mother's daughter away from her?" she asked. "If you kill me, my mother will find you and she'll kill you both if her wife doesn't beat her to it, if my father doesn't beat them both too it. You can threaten me but I've faced bigger, badder people in Los Perdidos. I've faced maniacs, I've faced bikers that wanted nothing more than to have their way with me, I've faced Phenotrans and Phenotrans has terrified me for twelve years! You'll have to beat what I've been through to terrify me!"

She pulled her gun out quickly and fired, the bullet striking Mrs. Lincoln in the shoulder and making her shout, Leona grabbing the gun and twisting it out of her mother's grip before running from her and leaping over the railing. Bonnie running out and catching her before running them both into Oh-San's Sun & Moon Sushi as Mr. Lincoln fired at Frankie making her scream and run to the side, the bullets striking everything it's path as he tried to shoot the 20 year old. She pulled a can of out of her jacket and pulled her lighter out, lighting the fuse and throwing it as hard as she could towards a gas mask wearing survivor.

It exploded. Nails and aluminium shrapnel stabbing into him as Frankie threw herself over the counter of Kaun's Bubble Tea. She took out the final can and lit the fuse before kneeling up to throw it towards a small group of gas mask survivors that took cover behind an over turned table. She could hear them shouting to run and it exploded, hitting one of them before they could get far enough away.

She stood up and fired twice, killing the man she struck with the shrapnel bomb and another one before seeing the man run for the sushi place. She threw herself over the counter and ran for it, dodging a hostile survivor with a machete. She pull her bat out and swung it hard enough that she swore his jaw broke as the nails, barbed wire, and saw sliced right through his skin. Blood was splattered across her face and a body slammed into her own making her bat as she felt her back slam hard into the ground as Mr. Lincoln seized her throat in his hand as Bonnie shot at the gas mask survivors trying to go in to kill her and Leona. Frankie wheezed as she clawed his hands.

"I'll kill you!" he shouted, his thumbs pushing hard into her throat and she kicked her legs, slamming her right foot down had onto the ground. An arm wrapped around his neck as Frankie's vision began to darken around the edges.

"LET HER GO!" roared Fontana's voice. "Let her go or I swear I will snap your neck!" His hands released Frankie's throat making her inhaled deeply and couch a bit. She forced Mr. Lincoln up so Frankie could push herself away. She threw the man to the side and Jones ran beside Frankie, helping her up. "You should've asked for help." it sounded like Fontana wanted to scold her but it was very lackluster. "You should've told me and I would've sent Jones and others with you."

Frankie's eyes drifted over to the side of Fontana as the woman keep speaking. Mr. Lincoln kicked a zombie towards Fontana making the younger woman freak out as she saw the zombie stretch it's arms out at the Commander. She threw her jacket up and threw her arm up. She screamed as teeth sank deep into her arm. She pulled her gun out and shot it in the head, it's body throwing off her balance and she pried it's mouth off her as Mr. Lincoln laughed.

"You're dead now you stupid bitch!" Jones kicked him hard in the back of the knees so he fell to his knees.

Frankie looked at the bleeding wound, blood spilling from several of the teeth marks. Fontana put her gun to Frankie's head making her tense up. "I'll wait till you turn."

"How long does it take to turn?"

"Roughly ten seconds." spoke Fontana.

They sat there for a full minute, the blood leaving her wound was coming to a crawl before stopping. Fontana rose an eyebrow and looked at her watch. Frankie smacked her hand aside and looked unimpressed. "That's one way to tell Fontana." stated Jones making Frankie glare at her.

"I don't..." Fontana didn't say anything as Leona smacked hard into Frankie, hugging her and crying into her chest. Thanking her repeatedly for saving her, with Bonnie and Fontana's help of course. She rubbed at her hair and hugged her back as Fontana moved over, looking at the bite wound that no longer bled. She ran her hand gingerly across it and saw the bite wound still looked raw but the blood stopped...a bite mark never stopped bleeding until usually after the person turned.

Frankie hissed at her touching it making her glare at Fontana. The strawberry blonde taking her hand back as she just stared completely confused. "I'm going to bring Bonnie and Leona back to their safe house and I'll..."

"I'm coming with you." interrupted Fontana as she narrowed her eyes. "But what about those two?"

Leona looked at her parents, her mother was shot in the shoulder and her father just looked down right pissed. "I don't care." she whispered as she moved to Bonnie and hugged her. The cowgirl smiling and hugging Leona in return, smirking at the parents making them look pissed.

Fontana climbed into the passenger seat as Frankie sat her things down at her feet and sat her baseball bat between her own right leg and the console. Leona and Bonnie got in the back and she drove back to the safe house, leaving Fontana inside the car as she went into the place. Hugging everyone that came at her and she patted Leona's head before letting her go into one of the corners with Bonnie. She stood at the double doors and sighed heavily before leaving the safe house and making her way to the car. She opened the driver side door and climbed in, watching as a zombie hit the door.

"Explain." ordered the strawberry blonde.

Frankie started the Humvee and drove away from the safe house. "I don't like explaining."

"I've faced Phenotrans and Phenotrans has terrified me for twelve years." spoke the older woman, repeating the same words that Frankie said to Mr. and Mrs. Lincoln.

The 20 year old swore to herself as she drove down the road. She sighed and looked at Fontana quickly. She really didn't want too but went into depth about it. Explained that her mother and her fought, explained what they fought about when Frankie was seven and that it even lead to her running away. Explained how Phenotrans must've been waiting for an opportunity like that to take her and how her mother's wife ran after the van for several blocks before unable to follow. Fontana listened, never asked questions as the young woman explained her time in the Phenotrans facility, explained how Isabela Keyes took care of her, explained everything leading to her father and Chuck Greene saving her.

Fontana watched Frankie, the young girl having finished her story about five minutes ago. "You're immune?"

"I'm immune. I told Jones..." that seemed to anger Fontana but it looked like jealousy really. "She noticed a third bite mark when she watched me change my shirt. Having two and then magically three out of nowhere wasn't easy to explain."

"Did it scar?"

"Uh..." she started. She wasn't entirely sure. "I...don't know. You can check. My right shoulder."

She felt the woman's gloved hand slid over her shoulder before pushing the sleeve up to above her shoulder. "There's only two."

"Then no...it didn't scar. They don't always scar."

Fontana just nodded and relaxed into the seat. They arrived at the compound, neither of them saying anything as they went into the building. Fontana went into her room and Frankie into her own. The older woman looking towards Frankie's room as she sat her things down and pulled her top off, the young woman wearing nothing more than a sports bra. She spotted the two long surgical scars just beside where her spine would be. She walked over to the door and saw the young woman turn, more surgical scars on her sides. Frankie grabbed a clean shirt and was turning it around when warm, almost hot hands touched her sides making her jump.

Frankie rose her eyes to look at the mirror in her room to see Fontana standing behind her. "I should be angry at you but...I wasn't expecting all of these scars." stated Fontana as Frankie turned to face her. "I should be extremely angry that you told Jones before me."

"She said you'd put me in a choke hold." Fontana smirked at the statement. "But you did that to Mr. Lincoln."

"I want to be angry at you. Do you understand that?" Frankie nodded as she ran a hand through her own black hair. "I want too so much but..." she looked at Frankie's scars. "...I can't be."

The young woman looked down at her stomach, running a hand over a smaller scar. "You're not put off by my scars?" That made Fontana look confused. "My ex never liked touching them. She said she didn't like feeling...why are you stripping?"

Fontana pulled her top off and all Frankie saw was crisscrossing scars on her sides and belly. The majority of them were small except one, she slid her hand across a long scar near her right hip. "Does it look like I'm put off by your scars?" she stated. She looked at Frankie's hand. "I got that one before this mission. Guy with a knife tried to kill me." The young woman just cupped the scar in her hand as she looked up at the older woman. "Knowing the source of your scars, I sort of wish you got them during outbreaks. I'd kill the head of Phenotrans if I could."

"She's already dead." spoke Frankie making Fontana blink in surprise. "She left me money in her will, left me all the information behind Project West, and left me a note saying she was sorry but not sorry. Her death...bothers me."

"She hurt you."

"I'm aware but I keep thinking how come I could stop psychopaths from killing me so they live but I couldn't save the one woman I feared?" She was unaware of the tears that slid down her face until calloused hands cupped her face and her thumbs wiping the tears away making her stare at Fontana.

The strawberry blonde shook her head. "Don't cry over her."

There was a small part of Frankie that wanted to argue, say she wanted to cry over the woman that kidnapped her and experimented on her. Did that make her twisted? Since the Los Perdidos outbreak, she believed it was just because of the way that Marian died that fucked with her. Thrown off a building, knowing full well she was wheelchair bound so there was no way of defending herself aside from using her hands and killed by the man she assumed was her business partner. She closed her eyes, her mind focusing on the fact that Fontana was holding her face in her hands.

Her hands were calloused but warm and soft. The hands slipped down off her face and she opened her eyes to see Fontana staring at her. "Thank you for telling me." stated Fontana. "I mean...given the circumstances but you could've told me to mind my own business."

"And risk you shooting me? No thank you."

That made a smirk appear on Fontana's face as she chuckled. "I don't think I would've shot you. Put you in a choke hold maybe but not shoot you." Frankie busted out laughing and put her hand over her mouth to stifle her laughter. "Are you staying here or going back out?"

Right, it was only like noon. "I dunno. I'll play it by ear today." she responded.

Fontana undid her bun and Frankie had to keep her jaw from dropping. It happened every single time to she saw the woman with her hair down. She ran a hand through her hair and hissed as she caught a snarl. "Shadow me today. I've got some things to do both here in the compound and out in town." Frankie nodded and Fontana patted her cheek. "Your ex is an idiot by the way, scars show you've survived and add to your beauty." 

The strawberry blonde turned and left the room before Frankie could say something. She just chuckled as she saw Fontana search for a clean shirt. She ran her hands across her own stomach, her fingers feeling the small injection scars on her belly near her sides. "I'm so gay." she whispered with a smile.

She pulled her cellphone out of her pocket and turned opened the camera, positioning it so it faced the mirror but showed her stomach and took a photo. She opened up Instagram and the option to add a photo from gallery. ' _When @Fontana_Commander tells you that your scars add to your beauty and she could never be putt off by them._ '

She posted it and pulled on a fresh top before debating between the jacket Fontana let her wear and her own. As much as she loved wearing Fontana's jacket, she was always worried she'd get it bloody. She shook her head and sighed as she grabbed her own jacket, sliding it on. So she shadowed the Commander for the next few hours until almost 11pm, that was when the strawberry blonde decided it was time to return to base. Fontana drove this time though, only with her good arm and Frankie was sitting beside her in the car with Jones and another soldier in the back seat.

The young girl was looking through the tablet of people who died, this Calder creature had killed so many of Fontana's men and women. "Fontana."

"Hm?" she hummed.

"Do we have to go to base?" she asked as they were entering West Ridge. The strawberry blonde knit her brows together before looking at her in confusion. "Make a left onto the street across from the church please."

Shrugging, Fontana turned the wheel as they approached the left turn and drove too the house that Frankie pointed out. The young girl got out and Jones follow instantly making her Commander scowl a little at how fast Jones was at being by Frankie's face. She and the other soldier, a woman who went by Flynn, followed the two. Frankie pulled a key out of her pocket and slid it into the lock before unlocking both the doorknob and the deadbolt. She opened the door and walked in as Fontana pushed Jones aside to follow. Frankie walked to the kitchen island and opened a drawer before reaching in and touching the top of it, she pulled a card off the Velcro she had it stuck too.

"Panic room." she said walking over to the panel on the wall and swiping it before punching in the code she had been given.

"How do you..."

"This is my house." interrupted Frankie.

It all made sense now. The base was another 15 minute drive and Fontana's arm was aching. Jones and Flynn boarded up the downstairs downstairs windows as well as the windows in her home theater, Fontana had parked the Humvee in Frankie's garage and Frankie was gathering all the food in her fridge. Jones and Flynn were the first to pass out in the panic room on the beds. Fontana was changing the bandages on her shoulder in the upstairs bathroom when she heard the door open, Frankie was standing directly behind her holding a cup of what smelt like coffee.

The strawberry blonde looked at Frankie's reflection. "That for me?" Frankie nodded but kept quiet as she ran her thumb across the rim of the coffee cup. "What's wrong?"

Frankie opened her mouth to say something but instead flinched as if someone had said something hurtful and shook her head. "It's nothing." she whispered.

All Frankie wanted to do was tell Fontana that she had feelings for her. Tell her she believed she actually loved her but none of those words could make their way out of her mouth. They got caught in her throat in fear of rejection. "Francesca."

That meant Fontana wasn't playing around. "What's your name?" she said quickly, she needed to think of an excuse and she didn't know Fontana's name. "And I mean your first name, don't give me any Fontana shit."

A throaty chuckled left the woman's throat. "Maria."

Holy fuck it was fitting. She looked like a Maria. "Maria Fontana." whispered the 20 year old. "Middle names?"

"Well what's yours?" retorted Fontana and a laugh erupted from Frankie before she cupped a hand over her mouth, she didn't know why she laughed. "What's your full name?"

Stepping towards Fontana, she sat the coffee on the sink counter as she ran her thumb across a scar on the older woman's back. "I'm Francesca Abigail West."

"And I'm Maria Eleanor Raquel Fontana."

"Fitting." whispered Frankie making Fontana smile at her in the reflection.

Just to think that days to weeks before the initial outbreak, the two had flirted often in the store. Fontana always doing most of it, Frankie turning red and attempting to flirt. She hadn't flirted with anyone except Kris and Kris was different, she dated her from grade 9 to 12. She knew Kris prior to flirting, she knew what Kris liked and what she didn't. Fontana was an enigma. She was beautiful, strong, and just the definition of a hard ass but sweet, caring, and apparently flirty. She knew nothing about her aside from her full name now.

Fontana finished bandaging her shoulder and slid her shirt back on before taking her cup off coffee and sipping it. She released a small moan of appreciation. The two left the bedroom and made their way into the panic room, Frankie laid down on her cot as Fontana moved over to the couch. That last thing Frankie remembered before passing out was Fontana grabbing the remote.

A vibration beside her head woke her out a deep sleep. She inhaled sharply and looked around the panic room, Jones and Flynn were gone but Fontana was passed out on the couch. She rubbed at her face and sat up, her left hand grabbing her phone which was charging from an outlet under the cot. She unplugged it and looked to see several notifications on Instagram staring as of the night prior while she was out with Fontana. She tabbed the notifications and opened her Instagram.

_Mason_Kristina: Are you fucking kidding me right now Francesca?_

_LawyerWest: You're the one who told her you didn't like touching her scars, Kris._

_Mason_Kristina: But this bitch has seen her topless already?!_

_Fontana_Commander: I completely resent that bitch comment. I'm not the one who broke up with her cause my parents believed she was a paranoid nutjob and if you must know, yes I've seen FRANKIE topless a lot._

_Mason_Kristina: WTF?!_

_Bonnie-Cowgirl: HAHAHAHAHAHAHA.....when Frankie's defended by a woman she's been flirting with since August!_

Frankie knit her brows together as she saw a notification on the tab where it said she was tagged in pictures. She tapped it and hit the picture only to see a photo of herself sleeping with the blanket kicked down to her waist. ' _When a zombie outbreak wears out even the best of us._ ' Frankie saw it was taken by Fontana and she felt her cheeks burn a little. She noticed there were notifications but that obvious, anyone who checked her tagged photos could see them.

_LawyerWest: STEALING!!!!!_

_Real_Life_Lois_Lane: I SECOND THAT!!!!_

_Fontana_Commander: Well I'm glad her mothers approve._

_Mason_Kristina: I approve but what do you mean by zombie outbreak? She's not in Los Perdidos anymore and that was a fluke._

_Fontana_Commander: Yeah totally...a fluke. You're as idiotic as you're described._

_Mason_Kristina: THE FUCK DOES THAT MEAN?!_

_Fontana_Commander: That means maybe you shouldn't let your parents get into your head. Los Perdidos wasn't a fluke...remember that. You broke up with a girl who any woman would be lucky to be with. Your an idiot for breaking up a four year relationship cause your parents thought it was fitting._

_AsheLily: Woot! Go Fontana!_

_LilyAshe: Told you I liked her...but not like that._

_AsheLily: Obviously lol_

_Mason_Kristina: Do you even know her like I know her?_

_Fontana_Commander: I know more than you think you spoiled brat._

Frankie's eyes widened at the bold lie. Fontana knew practically nothing like Frankie knew nothing about Fontana. She stood up and pocketed the phone before walking over to Fontana with her blanket and covered her up. She moved hair from her face and kissed her temple before leaving the panic room. She made her way to the stairs and jogged up them and went to her room, she had tried to find the note that Marion Mallon wrote her before leaving the base but couldn't find it. That meant it was in it's safe place still.

Approaching her safe, she opened it and saw several things inside she hadn't packed with her. She took the nearby bag and put everything in it while taking out a small metal case. The Gemini logo on it and she pushed the lid open with her thumb to see a folded up piece of paper inside of it. It was safe and that's all that mattered to her. She closed the case and pocketed it with her phone before kicking her safe closed and going back downstairs.

"I think we should play a game." said Flynn as Frankie entered the kitchen. "Back a base."

"What game?" groaned Jones.

"I mean we've got new people who joined for this mission and know nothing about them. I mean we know absolutely nothing about her!" she pointed at the 20 year old who froze in her spot making Jones chuckled. "I played it back in High School, we did it in the beginning of the year and every semester. We just ask each other questions."

Jones rubbed at her face. "And you think Fontana will go for that? She didn't like it when some of the men were goofying off and playing darts the other day."

"Uh cause she was on like two hours of sleep and on pain killers with out coffee."

Jones shrugged, she had a point. Frankie looked at the pot of coffee, one of them must've already made a pot and she poured a cup of black coffee before making her way down the stairs. She rounded the corner and sat the cup down on the counter before lightly shaking Fontana. The older woman groaned loud and buried her face into the pillow she had.

Frankie chuckled at her reaction, much like her own when she didn't want to wake. "Wake up Maria." she teased

"Commander or Fontana." grunted that voice, heavy with sleep.

She hummed and nodded. "Of course." she chuckled. "I got you coffee."

That made Fontana push herself up and sit straight up, her eyes squinted as she looked at Frankie. She took the cup from the young woman and took a long sip from it before smiling. She left Fontana to drink her coffee and went into the garage, opening the gate and sitting on the hood. No zombies were around at the point in time so that was good. She took the metal case out of her pocket and opened it, setting it on the hood beside her as she used her free hand to carefully unwrap the message.

She ran her thumb across the signed signature at the bottom. "Could I have saved you even if I wanted too." she whispered.

' _Francesca, I am unaware how to even start this. For the past eleven years you've probably hated me. Hated me for what I did to you, hated me for taking you away from your mother and her girlfriend but imagine my surprise when you came back to see me in Los Perdidos after you fled from me in that bedroom when I let you go. Maybe it was because you realized I didn't pose a threat to you. You grew up into a beautiful and strong willed young woman. I remembered seeing footage of you during the first two days of the outbreak, you were trying your hardest to save almost every one you came into contact with._

_I suppose this is where I would say I'm sorry for doing what I did to you but the thing is...I'm not. I'm not sorry one little bit. You're immune, you can help more people that way. You can never turn into a zombie and I'm proud of how much a success my experiment was. I have a strong feeling I won't be leaving Los Perdidos. My gut feeling is usually right. I have no children or family left so I felt I owed you. My will is made out too you, all of my money, hard drives full of information, laptops full of information, and even a house in Westchester, New York._

_I wish you good fortune Francesca. Survive, that's all I ask. Survive no matter what and live a good life._

_Yours truely,  
Marian Mallon._ '

A hand touched her cheek and she stiffened. She looked and saw Fontana standing there, her thumb brushing across her cheek. "You were crying."

Frankie sniffled and nodded. "I'm aware." she let out a watery laugh before rubbing at her eyes. She folded up the letter and put it into it's case before pocketing it. Fontana helped her off the food and smiled at her. "Can we go back to base?"

The Commander nodded. The four gathered the supplies they needed, most of it being the food from Frankie's kitchen. They left in the Humvee but no words were said as Frankie rested her head against the window and looked out at the zombies as they drove to North Peak. When the Humvee arrived, soldiers unpacked the trunk as Frankie climbed out. Instead of going to her room, she sat against the wall and sank down while pulling the hood of her jacket up to shield her face. Fontana stood by her and tried to coax her into going inside but the girl said nothing.

Doctor Blackburne was the first one besides Frankie that Fontana talked too. The woman was getting her stitches checked. "Another day or two and it should be healed enough that you won't have to worry about bandages any more." stated the brunette. Fontana just nodded. "What's wrong Commander?"

Sighing, the strawberry blonde looked at the X-Rays on the wall. "Frankie won't come inside. She's depressed about something."

"Frankie? You mean Francesca?" the Commander nodded. "I never caught her last name."

"West. Francesca West." she felt Blackburne stiffen beside her. "Doctor?"

Pushing her glasses up, the Doctor looked at the Commander. "West? Her last name is West?" Her Commander just nodded. "Oh dear lord..." she whispered. "I should've seen the signs. The scars on her back...the bite marks...I should've...she's the right age!"

The Commander snapped her fingers. "Doc. Calm down. Explain."

Swallowing back the lump in her throat, Blackburne nodded. "I gave Phenotrans Dr. Barnaby's research and was involved with an experiment named Project West twelve years back." Those grey blue eyes narrowed in what could've only been described as anger. "Project West was named after it's test subject...Francesca West."

"You're the reason she's depressed?!" spat the strawberry blonde. "She...was crying while reading a letter."

"From Mallon. I know, I received one as well after her death. She left everything she owned to Francesca because she had no kids or family. She was killed during the Los Perdidos outbreak." informed the woman as she rubbed her jaw.

The pieces were put together now. She was depressed over Marian Mallon, by why? She needed to find out. She did apologize for punching Blackburne as she bandaged her arm back up and Fontana went in search for Frankie. She wasn't where she left her and instantly got worried but found her watching the soldiers play the game that Flynn mentioned before. Frankie felt someone approach her and looked to see Fontana.

A hand grabbed her hood and tugged it down. "You're too pretty to keep your face hidden. Can I see what you were reading before?" Frankie shook her head. "Frankie...Blackburne told me."

"I didn't want you to hate her. That's why I kept my mouth shut."

"Noble. Please." Frankie let out a sigh and passed the metal tin to Fontana. She watched as the older woman opened and unfolded the letter to read it. She read it over at least three times before passing it back Frankie. The young girl putting it away. "Why have you been depressed though?"

Flinching a bit at the question. "She was in Los Perdidos...as you've fathered from the note and most likely Blackburne. She was working with some Military General, I don't know the specifics or maybe I do but I don't remember right now. I was with Nick Ramos and Chuck Greene, we planned on stopping the two. I guess she brought up the fact that I was immune to him but because she never actually caught me, he didn't believe her or it was some other reason..." she ran a hand through her hair and huffed. "I remember him grabbing her by her throat and lifting her out of her wheelchair..."

"She was handicapped?"

Frankie nodded and sighed. "Unable to walk, she said it was when she was originally bitten but I don't know. I remembered watching her try to struggled but she couldn't get away from him. He threw her off of the building they were on. I wonder if I could've caught her, if I could've stopped him."

The Commander wanted to try and say something but the girl blamed herself, she knew that if she tried to tell Frankie not to blame herself that it wouldn't work. She tried so many times when it came to her men and women when something went wrong. Guilt was something that couldn't be pushed out by three words. Fontana just huffed a little making Frankie look at her. "What?" asked the older woman.

"You're not very good at consoling are you?"

"What do you want a hug or something?"

Frankie snorted with laughter and smiled at her. She just patted Fontana's stomach before walking away from her and moving over to table to sit besides Jones. Fontana hated how she felt when seeing Frankie smile at Jones, she hated how jealous she felt, hated how much she wanted to punch Jones in the face and tell her not to get that close with Frankie. Fontana stood her head and nearly growled as she saw Frankie wrap her arm around Jones'.

She walked over and hit Jones upside the head making her hiss and look. "Scoot over." Jones shrugged and did as her Commander ordered, the strawberry blonde sliding in beside Jones and Frankie. An arm slid around her own and she saw Frankie hugging her arm against her chest...so that's what that really soft feeling was. Frankie looked at her and smiled.

So Fontana watched them play the game, watching as Frankie answered questions that were asked. She was born May 31st and that meant she was a Gemini, she was born and raised in Manhattan, she's an only child, and when she was 10 she knew she wanted to be a photographer. She apparently loved New York Style Pizza, chili cheese fries, and tacos. She shouldn't have been surprised about the pizza, ever soldier Fontana had that was from New York always said they loved pizza. The Commander didn't play, she didn't see how it was relevant but she did learn about Frankie and the others.

The others left, needing to get to their jobs so it left Fontana there with Frankie. "You didn't ask any questions."

"I didn't see how me being involved was relevant."

The 20 year old rolled her eyes and chuckled. "I'm gonna go out for a bit soon."

Fontana nodded and smiled at her. She noticed Frankie seemd actually better than earlier but she wasn't going to comment on it. She didn't want to jinx it. "Be careful."

The young woman nodded and stood up, releasing her arm in the process. Frankie went to the Humvee she had been in earlier in the morning to grab her backpack before going to her own Humvee and setting the bag on the passenger seat, glad she left her baseball bat in there when she went out with Fontana the night before.

Frankie climbed into the driver seat and grabbed hold of the wheel as she stared at Fontana, the woman's attention now on the cook. Her heart beating faster as she stared at the Commander. "Son of a bitch..." she gripped the wheel harder. "I can't call my mom when I need her the most." She hadn't felt like this since she dated Kris, she was in love and it was the wrong time to be in love with someone. A zombie outbreak wasn't exactly the most romantic atmosphere. 

She shook her head and started the Humvee, she was gonna go visit her students and make sure everything was okay...and maybe ask them for advice cause she was completely clueless when it came to romance and Kris didn't count as experience in her own mind.

TBC...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I already have ideas for chapter 3 so as long as my other fanfics don't get in the way, I'll post it soon. Far Cry 5 is coming out in a few weeks so I could get distracted lol


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes, each chapter will have sayings from people. I figured since I started with Rayne then I would do Piper who is her step-mom so I decided the first three chapters would her parents and go from there.
> 
> Also I'm making up Willamette High School (as you probably gathered from the first chapter) and it's location, I know there's a junior high/middle school but there's no High School? Like why? lol
> 
> Sorry it took me so long to update this, I was struggling regardless of having ideas.

_"Francesca inherited her mother's smarts but somehow ended up with my skills to survive in a Zombie Outbreak. I just wish she wasn't being thrown into the situations where she needed those skills..." - Frank West_

The mall was the first place she went too before going to the safe house in Old Town. She sat on the roof of the safehouse, fully aware that the concrete was cold as fuck and her ass was numb with in five minutes. "You are aware that it's like twenty three dregrees out right?" asked Leona wearing Bonnie's jacket, the woman was running around in a hoodie...apparently cold didn't bother her. There was a movie reference she could make but Frankie didn't.

She nodded as she unboxed the watch she had gotten from the mall. She hadn't noticed but her watch had gotten broken most likely during the fight with Leona's parents and the gas mask wearing freaks. She undid the watch she wore and tossed it aside before putting on the new one and using her phone to set the time. "You live in Colorado and you're telling me you're not used to the cold?"

"I moved here two years ago from Texas." she huffed making Frankie laugh and nod.

Bonnie came up with her dad and Elise. "Ashe, Lily, Darrius and Derek are asleep. They didn't get much sleep last night." stated Elise. "What did you need to talk to us about?"

The 20 year old huffed as she tapped the watch. "I've only had one girlfriend..."

"Kris." interjected Bonnie making Frankie narrow her eyes at her. "Sorry."

"As I was saying, I've only ever had one girlfriend. I went to middle school and then high school with her. I knew her in middle school, we were friends and I asked her out. I knew how to react because I knew a lot about her and yet...I look at Fontana and I feel like my heart is going to jump out of my chest."

Elise made a sound someone would make when seeing a cute puppy or kitten and ran at her, hugging her tight. "She's in love!" she squealed making Frankie groan and push herself free of Elise's tight ass grip.

She ran a hand through her hair and huffed. "I'm aware Elise. I feel for her what I used to feel for Kris and it PISSES me off." That made all of them look really confused. "I know nothing about Fontana. NOTHING! She's flirted with me for months, she's made me blush the same shade of red as a fucking apple but it's never hey do you wanna go and get some coffee sometime? It's calling me pet names, it's being very close to me, it's saying I'm pretty and none of it has amounted to anything. I'm afraid if I tell her I...love her, I'll be rejected and laughed at."

Jeb just hugged her and patted at her back as she returned the hug. She opened her mouth to say something when her walkie talkie went off. She moved from Jeb and bent down to grab her walkie before hitting the button. "Yeah?"

"Are you in Old Town?" asked Jones.

"Yes. Why?"

She heard movement on the other side. "Where? I need to talk to you."

Frankie felt confused and shrugged. "We can meet at the mall?"

"No."

Okay so where else was there? She didn't want her coming to the safe house, it was nothing personal, it was trying to be protective over her students and friends. "There's an Irish pub. I mean I might have to clean it out but..."

"That works. Meet you there in fifteen."

Raising her right eyebrow and huffed. "Well then. Looks like I gotta go. Plus I gotta warm up my ass, I can't feel it." she laughed as she rubbed at it with her left hand.

They laughed before Elise hugged her again, kissing her forehead. She was the designated mom of the group, she remembered Ashe mentioning that she was the "Outbreak mom" cause there was always one motherly person in a group. She grabbed her stuff and left the safe house after grabbing a bottle of water. She twirled the bladed, nailed, and barbed wired bat in her right hand as she walked down the sidewalk. The zombies were in the middle of the road, sure they tried to go at her but she was faster.

Rounding the corner, she saw Cochrane's Irish Pub and the door was wide open. She ran across the street and grabbed a zombie by the back of his shirt and tossed him back so she could get in through the door, using her left leg to kick the door closed. The door slamming caught the attention of the seven zombies in the pub with her. Least there wasn't a lot, she wasn't sure how she'd be able to clean this place if there was like 20 zombies. One went at her and she dodged him before swinging her bat, it striking him in the back of his head. The zombie slumped to the ground and her bat was stuck so the falling body threw her balance off. She hit the bar with a grunt and saw another zombie going at her.

"Fuck." she whispered reaching over and grabbing a bottle of rum, throwing her arm out and watching as it smashed open as it made contact with it's face before she stabbed the bottle into it's forehead. The second zombie hitting the ground and leaving 5 zombies. She managed to free her bat and kill three more just by swinging hard enough that it basically caved in their heads before throwing one zombie down the set of stairs as it went at her, she heard the sound of bones braking and it didn't move once it hit the floor.

She pressed her bat to the last zombie's mouth as it tried to bite her, the blade and nails cutting through it's flesh. She withdrew it and swung it up, the bat connecting with it's jaw and ripping bit of flesh away but before she could hit it again, a gun shot went off and it's body hit the ground. She huffed and looked to see Jones closing the door as a zombie went at her.

"What happened to your face?" she asked making Jones look.

She had a nice bruise just bellow her left eye and she shook her head. "Meyers. He's an asshole." Frankie cold've told her that. "He punched me, called you a whore, blamed you for his father's death and said if he had it his way, he'd fuck the shit out of you and then throw you to a pack of zombies. Well not in that order, I punched him first after he said all that and he punched me in returned."

"Did you tell Fontana?"

"Tell her what? That hey this dude is stating he wants to fuck the girl you've been flirting with since August? Then kick her into a pack of zombies? Fontana would potential castrate him and then feed him what she cut off!"

The young woman snorted and rose an eyebrow. "The asshole was born from an asshole, she'd be putting an end to the continuation of the Meyers family and he can blame me all he wants, his father is the one that cut into me, had no problem not even making me go to sleep when he did the experiment cause he enjoyed my crying." She stopped talking and knit her brows together. "That...was the only time I ever saw Mallon show that she cared."

There was bits and pieces of her memory from that time period that she remembered sporadically. The psychiatrist she visited for three years said because of how traumatic it was, her mind repressed the worst parts and would eventually let her remember over time. "What?" asked the Obscuris soldier.

The 20 year old shook her head and huffed. "Every time he experimented on me it was when Mallon was away from the facility. Usually it was a meeting or sorts I believe. She came back early, everyone lived at the facility including her, so when she arrived Isabela Keyes stopped her and informed her of what happened...wait no...that's not right." she spoke as she ran a hand through her hair, taking a fist full of hair in her hand. "Isabela went to tell Marian what Doctor Meyers was doing but she already knew. She was visiting that part of the facility and heard screaming. She stopped Meyers from hurting me and kicked him off the team. He was pissed so when dad and Chuck Greene came to safe me...he tried to kill me." That made Jones' eyes widen in shock. "My father kicked him into a huge group of zombies to protect me."

"But why does he blame you?"

"He blames me for being the reason that took him from his mother and him. When his dad died, I guess he proceeded to blame me."

"But you didn't ask for any of that!" spat the woman.

Frankie shook her head and pursed her lips. "I'm aware. Trust me...I'm fucking aware."

Both of their walkies went off and Frankie let out a scream while Jones busted out laughing at her outburst. She glared at them as Jones grabbed her walkie and hit the button. "Jones here."

"Jones." spoke Fontana. "Where are you?"

The older woman looked at Frankie and pressed the button down. "Old town."

"Why?"

Jones inhaled deeply before swearing. "I feared for Frankie's safety. Meyers was threatening to...um...in his words, fuck Frankie and then dispose of her into a pack of zombies."

Fontana didn't answer right away making Jones raise an eyebrow when she heard "Bring her back to base. Now."

"Commander, I..."

Jones couldn't continue cause Fontana cut her words short by pushing her own button and overtaking the channel. "NOW!"

The woman jumped at the fierceness behind Fontana's voice and looked at Frankie, the young girl's eyes widen in surprise at Fontana's tone of voice. Jones pressed her thumb down on the walkie. "Frankie wants to know if she can scavange where she is really quick? She'll be fast."

The other end went off. "Fine." stressed out the older woman. "But hurry up Francesca."

Jones hooked the walkie to her waist and saw Frankie looking at her confused. "I figured you'd wanna look quickly. Fontana likes Whiskey and every Christmas we usually do a gift giving Secret Santa like thing...nobody really likes to get her cause she's hard to get gifts for but I'm setting it up this year so..."

With a nod, the 20 year old turned and went over to the alcohol to look for Whiskey. She found an intact bottle and knew it was a good brand cause her father often said it was good, it was the only kind he'd occasionally drink. She packed it carefully into her bag before stopping as she saw Fireball, yes she legit liked Fireball cause when she visited her dad let her drink a bit. She grabbed a couple bottles when a duffel bag was thrown down from the second floor, she looked and saw Jones standing at the top of the stairs. She moved and grabbed the bag to fill it up with normal whiskey and the Fireball Whiskey.

When she finished exploring, she was told that Jones left the mall when she had to go with Meyers and a few others to look for supplies so they had to take Frankie's Humvee, they made it back to her Humvee quickly before Frankie got an idea as Jones got in. She told her she'd be right back and ran into the safe house, the doors hissing open as she walked in. She clicked her tongue and snapped her fingers at Daryl as she walked to the stairwell that headed downstairs, her student following.

"What's up?" he asked as she fished through her pockets and pulled our a ring of keys.

"Take these to Jeb or Elise. You tell them I want you and everyone to go to my house. Leona and Elise know where it is, I think Jeb does but I can't remember." she whispered. "Sneak out if you can. Take some supplies, I didn't have much food. It's just..." he looked worried. "I'm afraid if I upset Fontana, she might come after you guys. I doubt I ever will but it's precaution. She wouldn't think of you guys going to my house." Daryl nodded and took the keys before she pulled him close and hugged him. "I'll try to visit tomorrow. Discreetly tell everyone to pack their things. I'll radio Bonnie to find food."

She rubbed at his head before pulling her radio off her hip and turning to the channel that Bonnie used. She clicked the button twice, a way of silently asking Bonnie if she was able to talk. "What's up?" asked the woman's voice.

"Bon, I can't explain why but I need you to find a car if you can't use the van that you used to get to the safe house and get as much food as you can. Daryl will explain when he gets back. I need to go catch up with Jones and get back to base."

"Got it. Luckily I found a good car or...bus? Its like a small bus, I think it was used for tours, I dunno."

"Alright. When you're at my house either text me or do two clicks, wait, two more clicks, wait and one more. Don't need to wait long, just long enough for me to understand it wasn't on accident." She received two clicks as her answer and she chuckled. "Cheeky." She switched it back to five and ran out to where Jones was impatiently waiting. She got into the driver seat and sat the bat in the back. "Sorry I left my phone there and Daryl was helping me find it."

Jones nodded and looked at Frankie. "She's impatient and there for I'm impatient. I think she might kill him."

Frankie just rose her eyebrows and started the Humvee before driving off. Fontana checked in twice, like she couldn't wait fifteen to twenty minutes for them to get back to the fucking base. Frankie pulled into the compound and parked where the other humvees were before climbing out. What confused both of them was not seeing Fontana as the young girl stepped around the car to the trunk until a fist connected with Frankie's jaw and sent her stumbling. The girl barely managing to keep herself up right, hitting the cement wall to her left.

"YO! What the fuck?!" shouted Jones as she saw Meyers standing there breathing heavily, anger was written all over his face.

The 20 year old pushed herself off the wall and rubbed at her jaw. Dude knew how to punch. She turned to face as she moved her jaw back and forth a bit. "You fucking whore!" he shouted going at her but Jones grabbed her arm, tugging her hard out of the way so he missed her. "My father should've killed you when he had the chance!"

"Yeah well instead he was ripped apart by zombies!" she spat out. "Karma's a bitch when you experiment on a child with out making sure she's asleep!" He went at her and she turned, running as fast as she can. Jones running after the both of them.

"Get back here you whore!" he screamed as she jumped over a crate that two Obscuris men were carrying.

She heard him crash into it, looking behind her she saw several boxes of ammo fall out of the crate. Fontana would have a fit. She ran for the door of the main building when one of his friends cut in front of her, sh quickly took a left turn and ran for the tent they used for lunch. She could see Fontana was sitting there. Another one of his friends got in the way making her swear and turn left again. Jones however did not, she ran right into the tent.

"Meyers is after Frankie!" she shouted making Fontana turn with her coffee in her hand. 

Fontana watched as Frankie leaped up onto the hood of her humvee before getting onto the roof as Meyers went after her. He did however did not follow her onto the truck. He wouldn't let her off though. "HEY!" she screamed, dropping her coffee and running out. Fontana shoved Meyers back, the man stumbling. "Back off her!"

"But she..." He stopped talking as Fontana narrowed those eyes that Frankie loved oh so much. She loved everything about her but right now she wanted Meyers away from her.

"Those two..." Jones pointed to the two men who had been blocking Frankie. "...were helping him."

Fontana snapped her fingers at them before pointing in front of her. "Commander you don't understand. She killed my father!"

"My father kicked your father into zombies! Zombies killed your father! THERE'S A DIFFERENCE!" the 20 year old screamed.

He went at the truck but Fontana shoved him back hard enough that he fell down. She turned and motioned making Frankie sit on the edge and drop into her outstretched arms, Fontana's hands grabbing Frankie under her arms and lowered her to the ground. "You okay?" she asked brushing hair out of Frankie's face. It was a rather sweet action, maybe what Jones had told her about Meyers earlier pissed her off or made her jealous. Both?

"Fine." she whispered as a stray piece of hair was tucked behind her ear. "He punched me though."

That made the strawberry blonde spin on her heels and glare at Meyers with a glare that put the fear into grown men...hell she'd freak her father out if they ever met. "First you say you'd fuck Francesca and throw her to the zombies, then you punch her?"

"I..."

"Shut. Up." stressed out the woman, a look of anger in her eyes. "I should kill you on the spot! What is my number one rule when it comes to my men and women?"

"Commander..."

"WHAT IS IT?!"

Meyers jumped at Fontana's scream. "No fighting. We're a family." he spoke.

The Commander stepped up to Meyers, she towered over him and Frankie watched curiously. "And Francesca is apart of our little family now isn't she?" He swallowed and nodded. "But you threatened her cause of something that happened with your father! You punched her! I would kill you but I'm feeling nice. Lieutenant!" James walked up and stood at attention. "Take Meyers and his idiot friends to their rooms to gather what they need. They're leaving Obscuris. They have twenty minutes."

"Right away Commander." acknowledged James as he grabbed Meyers by his upper arm and lead him away.

Jones walked up to Frankie and patted her shoulder. "I'll get your bags and bring them back to your room." she winked making her laugh and nod.

Frankie went to walk after her but a hand grabbed her wrist before tugging, She stumbled back and turned, hitting Fontana's front. "Stay by me. I don't want him seeing you on your own. I'd prefer if you were at my side until he's gone."

"R-Right." she muttered.

Following Fontana she did, she stood behind her as Fontana gave each of them one pistol with one clip each with one bottle of water and one can of food each. The whispers coming from behind Frankie told her that usually Fontana killed people that put their "family" in danger but she was just exiling these three. Was it because of Frankie? Did she not want to kill someone in fear that Frankie would be afraid of her? The gates slammed behind them and Fontana exhaled, her breath lingering in the winter air.

Fontana turned and took Frankie's hand in her own before walking away, pulling the young girl with her. She was was eventually let go but the strawberry blonde backed her into a wall, the corner by the door. "What happened?" she asked. Frankie tilted her head in confusion. "Why did he want to kill you?"

"Oh. His dad was a member of Phenotrans but he was sick and twisted. Instead of making me go to sleep for his experiments, he strapped me down and cut into me as I screamed. Mallon found out and kicked him off the project. He tried to kill me when Isabela Keyes released the zombie population from their containment but my dad and his friend showed up in time to kick him into a group of zombies. He was eaten and torn apart."

Fontana remained silent and rose her eyebrows in surprise. "Should've told me sooner, I would've kicked him into a horde of zombies. Fitting wouldn't you say?" she slid her hand across Frankie's cheek, a smile forming on her face.

"Fitting." she responded.

The gloved thumb rubbed against her cheek in an almost loving manner before the older woman retracted her hand and smiled. "Do me a favor?" Frankie nodded, the Commander pulling out a piece of paper. "I need this, could you go to the mall and scavenge it for me? Take Jones. She's the only one I really trust with you."

Frankie took the paper and nodded with a smile. "Of course, can I scavenge for myself while I'm there?"

"Of course." Fontana patted her cheek before walking off towards a group of soldiers to speak to them.

Unfolding the paper, she read over the list. Tampons at the top of the list, circled and numerous arrows pointing at it. Well least she wasn't the only one who thought she needed them. She went to her room to see Jones stashing a bag under the cot, knowing Fontana wouldn't go through it. It must've had the whiskey in it and she tapped the soldier on the shoulder. She turned and looked at her with a smile. "Just hiding the secret santa stuff." she stated.

Frankie nodded. "I need to go and get stuff on Fontana's list." she stated. "She wants you to come with me. Probably cause of the whole Meyers situation."

Jones nodded and stood up, the two leaving Frankie's room but Frankie dropped the jacket Fontana gave her onto her cot. It wasn't that cold out again that she needed a heavy duty jacket, her long sleeve thermal turtleneck that Fontana had James give her was warm enough. She had cut holes in the sleeves and her thumbs sticking out of them cause it just made it easier for her in a way. Fontana walked over to the humvee as Frankie opened the driver door, she didn't notice her, until an arm wrapped around her waist and she was lifted up a bit, Frankie grabbing the handles to pull herself in and looked. Fontana moved and shut the door once Frankie was in making the twenty year old start the humvee and roll the window down.

She looked at her and smiled. "Add chocolate to that too please. I have a craving."

Frankie nodded and pulled a pen out of her bag to write chocolate on the paper Fontana gave her earlier. "Done."

"Be careful." she spoke as she backed up.

She backed the Humvee up and drove out of the compound with Jones in the passenger seat. As they got to the Mall, she saw a tour bus pulling away and she exhaled a sigh of relief. Bonnie had gotten that they needed and left. Thankfully Jones was involved with some tablet she brought with her. She parked the Humvee in the parking garage by the doors after reversing so when they returned they could just pull away. She climbed out and locked the vehicle up after Jones got out and tssked as she realized she hadn't brought her melee weapon. She didn't remember bringing it to her room but Jones might've done it with out meaning too.

"Jones. I don't have a weapon."

The Private looked at her before looking at her and realizing she indeed did not have one. "Fuck, I think I brought it too your room with out thinking. Alright, I'm sure we've got some weapons stashed here." She walked by Frankie, the young woman following over to where she had taken pictures of Fontana not even twenty-four hours into the outbreak.

She saw Jones approach the army truck and jump into the back of it, opening a container under the seat. "Here we go." she pulled out a military shield, similar to a riot shield, and what looked like a mainly metal axe but with some sort of leather for the hilt. "You want both or...?"

"Yeah sure." she said taking the shield and axe from her. She noticed the shield had a strap to put on her back, which she did and smiled. She loved her baseball bat, she really did but she knew the most she'd use it, the more likely it was to break. Afterall it was just a wooden baseball bat with nails and saws hammered into it. Any wrong hit could made the weapon itself break, useful and dangerous but breakable.

They entered the front of the mall, passing by a few Obscuris who were stationed there to keep zombies and survivors out of the outpost they set up there. Especially after that guy who wrote for the Undead Gospel tried to get in once or twice. "So where first?" asked Jones looking around, the front of the mall was pretty much cleared by the Obscuris soldiers. The zombie corpses being the tell tale sign of their handiwork. Frankie shrugged and made a noise that said she didn't know.

Pulling the list out, she passed it to Jones who took it and read it over. "She needs tampons. Why? Her period ended the day before Thanksgiving." Frankie shrugged again and took the list back from her. "Well we can stop at the store to the right..." she pointed making Frankie look. "If we're lucky, you can grab a shit ton of chocolate for your lady love."

That statement made Frankie narrow her eyes at her. She just walked by the woman making her chuckle and follow her with a smile. She went into the store right at the corner on the right side. She saw some stuff was looted but there was a lot left. Jones went off to the side to grab a carriage that someone had left, probably in the chaos of when the outbreak happened. She smiled as Frankie took a couple cardboard containers of candy, setting them in the upper part of the carriage where a baby would usually sit. She found her favorite candy, it was chocolate with caramel in the middle and peanuts. She grabbed an entire cardboard container of it and placed it on top of the others.

Kneeling down, Frankie saw two lone boxes of tampons. It must've just been a convenience store, well sorta since it was smaller than a typical one. She grabbed the two boxes and shook them making Jones chuckle. "We might need to find a few more boxes but it's a good start."

For the past four or five hours, they carefully went around the mall. They even went as far as to hit the food court and relax in one of the restaurants for a while as Frankie cooked them up something with any food that was still edible. Frankie was loving the axe that Jones gave her. It was durable and did some serious damage while feeling lighter than a typical fire axe. It was just after sunset as Frankie loaded the humvee as Jones came with the rest of their stuff, they couldn't lift the carriage with everything in it up the stairs. Frankie carefully placed everything. It was everything that Fontana needed and they even managed to find a store that no tampons were looted, so Fontana would be happy but some of them was also for herself. The walkie talkie in the front seat went off making her move over to the front seat and open the door.

Frankie grabbed her walkie talkie, having only left hers because Jones had one on her. "What's up?" she asked.

It was half a minute before Bonnie answered. "We made it." she spoke, being as cryptic as possible cause she knew she was most likely around Obscuris.

Pushing the button down, she rose it too her mouth. "Good. I'll come see you as soon as I can and I thought I said two clicks."

"I just figured you'd wanna know." responded the other woman. "And got too much stuff to do, this is faster." How was it faster?

Frankie smiled as Jones put the last of the stuff into the trunk and shut it. "I did, thanks. I'll talk to you soon." she spoke before setting the walkie talkie in the cup holder before placing her new weapon in the backseat and climbed into the driver seat. 

Jones got into the passenger seat and shut the door, stretching a bit with a small groan. "Back to the compound." she stated making her chuckle.

Starting the car, she pressed down on the gas after putting it in drive and left the parking garage. She drummed her fingers on the wheel as kept it fast enough they were slamming into zombies with out slowing down too much as they made their way back to North Peak. The second they started entering West Ridge, she tilted her head and made a noise. "I need advice." The Private looked at her curiously. "When it came to my ex girlfriend, I knew her before I asked her out. I knew that now matter what, if she had said no we'd still be friends but..."

"You're worried if Fontana is just toying with you and refuses you, what will happen." interupted the older woman. "She doesn't flirt cause it's fun. She flirts cause she's genuinely attracted to you."

"But a zombie outbreak isn't exactly a romantic atmosphere."

"True but say you told Fontana how you felt and she returned the feelings, I know the Commander. She'll try to make a first date for you even in a zombie outbreak." smiled Jones.

Frankie just drummed her fingers against the steering wheel as she sighed and rubbed at her own head. They arrived at the compound after another twenty minutes and unloaded everything, Frankie dropping off the tampons and chocolate for Fontana in her room but she wasn't around. She was apparently out at the Junkyard. Why? Fuck if she knew. She put the rest of her stuff away and sat down on the bed as she ran her fingers through her hair and worked out the snarls before braiding her hair so it was out of her face.

Pulling her notebook out of her main bag, which she left at the compound, she took her pen and wrote down the date and the words 'Task for tonight...tell Fontana how I feel.'

Her walkie went off and she looked. "Francesca." spoke a voice that wasn't Fontana's. It wasn't even female and nobody from her class nor Jeb, referred to her as Francesca. "Francesca."

She snatched up the walkie and pushed her thumb down on the button. "Don't fucking call me that." she snarled into the device.

A laugh came from the other end. "I want to talk to you. Talk about my father." Fuck it was Meyers. "If you say no...well I'll have to kill your Commander."

Frankie inhaled sharply and grabbed at her walkie so hard she was shocked it didn't crack. "Don't touch her." she spoke quickly. "If all you want to do is talk, we can talk just...please don't hurt her."

It was a minute before Meyers came back over. "Wow, you actually said pleased. I thought you'd be a bitch about it."

"I'm a bitch when I want to be but right now I don't want to be...you might hurt Fontana."

He chuckled. "Meet me at Willamette Junior High in an hour. Come alone." and with that he said nothing more.

Frankie stood up and dug out the gun that Fontana had her get once staying with them. She didn't like to use it, although she had no problem using Jones'. She holstered the gun and ran off, leaving her axe sitting in her room.

At Willamette Junior High School, Fontana was zip tied to one of the bunk beds, this had been a shelter when the outbreak first happened but now, she had no idea where any of the people were. She had been jumped, the one solider that had been with her had been killed but in the process she had managed to kill both of Meyers companions before being subdued...he basically hit her upside the head with a lead pipe.

She blew a strand of strawberry blonde hair out of her face as she shifted. Her tongue running across her bottom lip where it had been split but the wound had stopped bleeding a while ago. "You're using me as bait." she snapped out seeing the zombie that Meyers had chained up. "You want her to turn." Which she wouldn't.

Meyers chuckled and looked at his now ex Commander. "I want to watch it bite her and watch the fear in her eyes as she realizes there's nothing she can do but turn into a zombie."

Fontana grit her teeth together as she thought. He really had no idea that Frankie was immune? What exactly did his father tell him he was doing with Phenotrans? "What did your dad do?"

The man looked at her real quick before adverting his eyes. "He was a scientist for Phenotrans. Made Zombrex or some shit. I don't know, I just know your darling Francesca was apart of some project, a project that my father died during."

There was a noise and she looked to see Frankie standing by the door that lead outside. "Frankie." she whispered making Meyers smile.

"Knew using the Commander would work." he stated turning to see Frankie moving towards the Commander.

The twenty year old stared into Fontana's eyes before looking at her lower lip and tssking. "You're hurt."

The strawberry blonde shook her head and gave a smile. "I've got a migraine but anything solid to the back of the head would do that. I'm fine."

Before she could say anything, teeth sank into the spot where her neck met her shoulder and she screamed in pain. Meyers laughed as he ripped the zombie off Frankie and killed it. "All part of my plan! Let the Commander watch you turn!"

What had he expected after telling Frankie this? It sure as shit wasn't Frankie touching her wound and then laughing. "You fool! I can't turn!"

"Wait...what?" he asked.

She didn't let him process that information before punching him in the face and then tackling him down. He fought back, thankfully killing the zombie that he had bite Frankie cause that's the last thing she needed to worry about. He quickly gained the advantage and managed to pin her while trying to choke her, she placed her hand against his cheek and scratched hard enough that blood was drawn and he hissed. He grabbed at her neck only for him to gasp out as Frankie's fist smacked into his Adam's apple. She got her legs between them, planted her feet against his stomach and kicked him backwards before throwing heself up onto her feet. She quickly did a round house kick to his face the moment he stood up.

Once he regained his footing and pulled his knife out. "I swear to fuck if you hurt her!" shouted Fontana as she struggled against her binds.

He watched as Frankie balled her hands into fists and spread her legs apart. "Lets go bitch." she antagonized making him go at her and she moved back, the knife swiping across the front of her shirt and cutting it, the tip of the knife even cutting into her skin. She blocked the knife swipe, her wrist pressed against his wrist and the knife several inches from her face. He went to knee her in the stomach but she quickly kicked his leg away and twisted his arm until it became uncomfortable enough that he had to drop the knife.

She grabbed the back of his shirt and slammed him down hard onto the table front first. Frankie put her hand on the back of his head and exhaled as she threw her hair back with a jerk of her head, her pony tail coming rather loose during their fight...she didn't really tighten it up that good anyways.

An elbow slammed into her stomach making her release a puff of air in pain before she was kicked backwards, slamming against the frame of the bunk bed beside Fontana's. Meyers went at her but she dodged his punch, grabbed her shirt and yanked hard enough that his head smacked against the frame with a nice echoing ring of something solid hitting the metal. Frankie shoved him aside and kicked him hard enough in the stomach that he fell down. "Learned how to fight..." she panted. "...knew the basics when Los Perdidos happened but after that I took more classes."

Meyers got up and went for his knife, Frankie going at it once seeing where he was going. She managed to grab the knife and swung her arm. Blood splattered on her face as she managed to cut his throat in the process. Her eyes widening once realizing what she did and dropped the knife. "Francesca." spoke Fontana but the twenty year old just stood there. Sure she had used an axe to kill people but she didn't exactly plan on killing him, she wanted to subdue him for Fontana. "Frankie!" The woman looked at her with wide eyes. "Let me free." The woman just rubbed at her face making her pull at the ties. "Frankie!"

"Right." she grabbed the knife and moved to cut the ties. 

Fontana grabbed at her face and stared at her. "Okay, it's okay."

"I killed him. I didn't want to kill him. I just planned on subtuing him. I didn't want to..." She was pulled against Fontana and she pressed her face against her shoulder. "I hated him, I really did but..."

A hand undid her hair all the way and her hair was pushed back before Fontana's hands took her her face and tilted her head back a bit. "Hey, it's fine. Why is this bothering you so much? You've killed gas mask survivors before."

Swallowing, Frankie leaned against her left hand making the strawberry blonde watch her. "Maybe it's cause I don't see the faces of the Gas Mask Survivors. I don't see their faces when I kill them, I don't see the fear. I don't..." she looked back at Meyers as arms wrapped around her tightly and she almost relaxed against Fontana. She felt her shirt being shifted a bit, it was sorta hard for Fontana to look at the bite wound since she was wearing a turtle neck and could possibly choke her.

Frankie smacked at her hand making her sigh. "It'll heal on it's own. Stop." she spoke.

The strawberry blonde rose her eyebrow and sighed before moving to grab her stuff. She clicked her tongue and messaged for her to follow. Frankie following her with out being told a second time, tying her hair back into a pony tail and draping it over the tare in the shirt. She followed her outside and they quickly jumped into Frankie's humvee, the younger woman starting the car.

The twenty year old looked at Fontana. "What about his body?" she asked.

"Let the zombies have a free meal." scoffed the Commander as she looked towards the door that lead to the Junior High Gym, a zombie shambling up the stairs. Frankie looked like she wanted to say something but instead put the humvee in drive and drove away.

They were entirely too quiet all the way back to the compound, Fontana would rub at her wrists occasionally. When taking a quick glance, Frankie had noticed the zip ties had left some marks and knew that they were probably going to bruise by tomorrow at the latest. The second that Frankie parked the Humvee in the parking lot of the compound, Fontana got out and slammed the door shut making Frankie flinch. It wasn't that she was mad at Frankie, she knew what much. She must've been mad at herself for letting the whole situation happen.

Jones came running to the humvee when seeing it pull it, mainly cause she didn't know Frankie had left and was pushed aside by Fontana who stormed into the building. Frankie closed the driver side door and said nothing to her friend as she passed her. She knew where Fontana had gone, she had gone straight to her room but Frankie wasn't going to hers. She went to the locker rooms and pealed off the clothing, some of the fabric of her turtleneck was in the teeth marks of her wound and hadn't fully healed. She used a pair of tweezers that sat on a sink and used the mirror to pick the fabric out.

She tossed the tweezers into the sink once the last piece of fabric was pulled out. Meyers' blood was still on her face, dried up by this point but there were several spots where blood slid down her face, the trail of it dried. She undid her bra and pulled the rest of her clothes off before turning on the shower and standing under the hot stream of water, her eyes closed.

" _You're such a clever girl._ " spoke Marian's voice in her head. " _You'll survive this outbreak and any future outbreaks that may happen. Maybe after all this is said and done, we could just...talk. No catch._ "

It was the guilt. It was the fucking guilt she's been carrying for almost a year that made the sob rip from her throat before she fisted her hands in her hair as she screamed in grief and crouched down as she sobbed openly.

Fontana heard frantic knocking on her door making her sigh and move away from her personal bathroom, she was lucky the room she choose as an office had one, and opened the door to see Jones looking at her with a worried expression on her face. "It's Frankie. I've had to keep the men away from the locker room but she's freaking out."

"What do you mean she's freaking out?"

Jones huffed. "I can't explain it! Just come!" 

The two ran down the hallways, descending any stairs in the path at a quick pace when Fontana passed Jones to push her way through the small crowd that was outside the female's locker rooms. "Get back to work!" she ordered making them scatter.

Opening the door, she saw a very wet and naked Frankie crouched in the shower crying as the water beat against her. Jones followed in and closed the door as Fontana pulled her top off and tossed it at Jones before toeing off her boots, pulling her socks off and passing them to Jones also. Everything else she didn't care if they got wet. She hated when her shirt got wet, hated it when her shoes and socks got wet, she'd survive everything else even the wet sports bra.

She slowly moved to Frankie before crouching, flinching at the sounds of her knees popping, and wrapped her arms around Frankie. The young woman inhaling sharply and trying to stop but she couldn't. "It's okay." whispered Fontana. "How long have you been bottling this up?"

A hiccup came from Frankie as she cried. "Since I left Los Perdidos."

That statement told the Commander what she needed, she was crying over that woman again. The one that had her kidnapped as a child, that experimented on her, that made her immune. She could tell Frankie to not cry over her but right now there was no point. "What did you need to do in here?"

"My hair." she muttered making Fontana shift to grab the shampoo and open the bottle, squeezing some into her hands before sliding them into Frankie's hair and kneading the shampoo into a nice sudsy as she tilted Frankie's head out of the shower so it didn't all wash away before she could try and calm her down.

After she had it nice and covered, she carefully tilted Frankie's head back under the water and ran her fingers through it to rinse it of all the suds. "Alright..." smiled Fontana. "You're hair is now nice and clean." Frankie didn't responde but she was shaking a bit. "Francesca." She watched Frankie rub at her face and head her sniffle. "Jones I need a towel."

She stepped back and caught the towel from Jones as she motioned at Frankie's things, silently telling her to gather them. "What are you doing?" spoke Frankie as the strawberry blonde turned the shower off before drapping the towel over her shoulders.

"Taking you back to your room. Wrap yourself in that." she ordered.

Usually she'd argue but instead, Frankie stood up with her back facing the Commander and wrapped the towel around her body. Before she could tell Fontana, she was lifted up into a pair of strong arms and she yelped. "Can I help you?" asked Frankie with a slight smile. She was still upset but somehow the Commander made her feel better.

"Nope but I can help you." she teased making a blush appear in Frankie's cheeks, if she was lucky Fontana would think it was from the shower.

Fontana and Jones took Frankie to her room, the Private setting Frankie's things down on the cot and leaving the Commander alone with the photographer. The young woman was sat down and the older woman smiled. "Let me get you some clothes."

" _Do it before you miss your chance._ " said the voice in her head, it sounded like Marian and it bothered her but she had to listen.

The strawberry blonde turned and felt a hand grab at her am. She turned and watched as a hand grasped at the sports bra just between her breasts and she was tugged closer. Her lips meeting a pair of softer lips. Fontana's lips were slightly chapped while Frankie's felt fucking soft as fuck. Their lips parted with a small smack as Fontana pushed her back a bit. "What are you doing?" she asked.

Frankie's eyes widened. She had fucked it up didn't she. She. Fucked. Up. "I...I..."

" _Say it._ " ordered the voice.

"Love you." she finally managed as Fontana's pale blue eyes widened in surprise.

"I'm sorry what?"

Swallowing thickly, Frankie released her hold on Fontana's bra. Granted she loved the fact her index knuckle was rubbing against the swell of her breast but she had to let her go. "I love you." The older woman just stared at her. "Okay see this is why I didn't want to tell you. I knew how Kris would react but I literally know nothing about you. I know your full name and the fact you're an Obscruis agent, that's it. So at least Kris wouldn't have hurt if she went, yeah sorry don't feel that way...your fucking silence is breaking my heart. So just tell me you only enjoy flirting with me and get..."

Hands grabbed her face and lips pressed to her own. She almost didn't react but she wrapped her arms around Fontana's neck as the Commander hugged her around the waist and stood straight up making Frankie squeal a little as her feet left the floor. Even though she herself was at 6 feet, Fontana had about two or three inches on her.

Their lips parted with another wet noise as Fontana sat her on her feet and smiled, Frankie's hands sliding to her shoulders. "I was in shock." she spoke. "I don't just flirt to flirt. I flirted with you cause I like you."

Frankie rubbed her right thumb agaisnt her collar bone and tilted her head cutely. "Well this will piss of Kris."

"Hey." she cupped Frankie's face by her chin. "She fucked up her chance to be with this pretty girl." She shook Frankie's head lightly making her giggle. "And now she's mine."

"Yours." Frankie almost sounded like she sighed the word but a smile was on her face. She leaned down and their lips met for the third time in probably the span of ten minutes.

The kiss wasn't long however, it broke almost as quickly as it started. "Your naked. I'm not going to keep kissing you when all you've got on is a towel, I'd be tempted." Fontana stated as Frankie blushed, realizing she was in fact correct.

Turning away from the older woman, she dropped the towel once she turned around and slid on her underwear then bra, allowing the straps to snap against her skin. She managed to get her pants on when she felt fingers brush against the spot where her neck met her shoulder. The bite had healed more while in the shower, it just looked raw and painful. She swatted at the hand. "Stop. It hurts a bit."

Basically a bite, if nothing was obstructing it like the fabric from before, would heal in stages. It looked raw, then it would scab over for a few hours, then either look like a scar for a short period of time and eventually fade away like any normal injury. A blush rose to her cheeks again as she felt Fontana lean down and press a kiss against the wound, it hurt slightly but in a weird way it made it feel better. Frankie placed a hand on the back of Fontana's head, holding her there as more pecks were placed against her bite.

"So what are we? Girlfriends?"

Fontana hummed against her. "We'll figure it out."

For the first time in a long time, regardless of that nagging guilt that she's harbored since Los Perdidos, Frankie felt happy. She felt truly happy with Fontana and knowing her feelings were returned. A smile formed on her face as she leaned her head against the strawberry blonde's.

**Author's Note:**

> The second chapter will be up as soon as I can get it done, it's jut life stuff and then sometimes writer's block is a pain my ass and will literally stop me from writing anything for a while. 
> 
> Also sorry if I write "mom's wife" and then "mom's girlfriend." I used to just have Piper as Rayne's girlfriend at the time so I sometimes forget that I wanted them married for this fanfic. I don't usually read over my own fanfic until I post it so I'll edit as I catch it. :) Again sorry lol


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